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littp://www.arcliive.org/details/costaricagemofam1912vill 


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^be  (5em  of 

Hmetican  IRepublics. 


^ 


^be  Xanb,  flts  IRcsourcee  an^  flte  ipcoplc, 


36  V 


IRicbarb  IDillafranca, 


2>elegate  sent  bi2  Costa  IRica  to  Stu^le  tbc  Sigstem  of  public  llnstruction  in  tbe  IHnitcf 

States.— iformer  Consul  ©eneral  of  Costa  IRica  to  California.— Secretary  of 

tbe  delegation  of  Ibonburas  to  tbe  lpan=Hmerican  Congress,  1889=90, 

at  "Cmasbington,  B.  C— Sub=E)irector  Ocneral  of  tbc  "IRational 

JSureau  of  Statistics  at  Costa  .IRica.— Commissioner  of 

Costa  IRica  at  tbe  Cotton  States  an&  1lntcrna= 

tional  Exposition  atHtlanta,  ©a.,  t895. 


^ 


NOTE.— ilDr.  IRicbarb  IDillafranca  will  be  accessable  at  the  Cotton  States  and 
International  Exposition  for  all  intending  visitors  to  Costa  Rica,  and  will  be  pleased  to 
give  personalletters  of  introduction,  and  furnish  any  additional  specific  information  that 
may  be  required.  All  communications  should  be  addressed  to  the  Costa  Rica  Pavilioji, 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  until  December  31st,  1895,  and  thereafter  to  care  of  Typographic  Depart- 
ment, Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Litho.  Co.,  no  Fifth  Avenue,  New  'S'ork. 


Copyrighted  1S95 

BY 

Richard  Villafranca. 


SACKETT   &   WlLHELMS   LlTHO.    CO., 

Tyfographic  Dkp't., 

Paul  Pfizenhayer,  Mgr., 

110  Fifth  Avk.,  N.  Y. 


Hutbor's  Bebication. 


Uo  tbe  people  ot  tbe  'Clnite5  States,  because  ; 

appreciate  their  incomparable  thrift  and  unparalleled  industry, 
and  because  my  long  residence  among  them,  has  aroused  in  me 
an  honest  sentiment  of  deep  fraternal  sympathy  in  their  welfare. 

XTO  tbe  people  of  Costa  IRtca,  with  earnest  gratitude, 
and  full  appreciation  of  their  kindly  feeling. 

Zo  tbe  Students  ot  tbese  jfacts,  tbe  Disitots 
anD  IRew  Settlers  of  Costa  IRica  from  tbe  "Glmted 

States,  because  I  have  a  congenial  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  Costa  Rica,  and  a  well-founded  conviction,  born  of  long 
experience,  of  its  resources,  and  because  I  firmly  believe  that 
the  country  will  never  reach  the  high  state  of  development  and 
prosperity  which  its  wealth  warrants,  without  the  aid  and  heart) 
co-operation  of  Yankee  energy. 

UO  Ubese  an^  all  ©tbers,  interested  in  acquiring 
for  themselves  a  brighter  future,  I  dedicate  this  series  of  facts 
and  notes. 


Contente. 


PAGE. 

UntroDuction 7 

MbB  it  15  Besirable  to  %ivc  in  Costa  iRica    .  .  9 

Ibow  to  (Bet  Zbcxc 1 1 

Zbc  Zimc  anO  Cost 13 

^0  IReacb  tbe  Capital— San  5ose 14 

©eograpbical  iposition  of  tbc  IRcpublic 15 

Brea,  population  an&  political  divisions 16 

<5encral  tTopoflrapbv} 19 

Mountains,  Islands,  Peninsulas  and  Capes 19,  20 

Rivers,  Lakes  and  Harbors 22 

Climate  anD  Seasons 24 

Table  of  Average  Montlily  Temperature  and  Rainfall  ...    27 

XTbe  people 28 

Language,  Religion,  Public  Instruction,  Native  Aborigines.  28,  30 

Foreigners,  Industries 30,  32 

Government 36 

Occupations 37 

Amusements 39 

/ifteans  ot  Communication 39 

Avenues  of  Transportation  and  Approximate  Distances  .    .  39 

Railroads 42 

Telegraph  System 43 

Telephone 44 

The  Postal  Service 44 

Inter-Oceanic  Canals  of  the  Future 45 

-Commerce 45 

Exportation  and  Importation 46 

Articles  that  are  Pr(jduced  in  tlie  Country,   but   have  been 

Imported 47,  48 

Rates  of  Exchange 49 


PAGE. 


■fflatural  IResources 50 

Productions 50 

Table  of  Mines  and  Mineral  Resources 51 

Mineral  Springs 52 

Useful  and  Ornamental  Woods 53 

Medicinal  and  Oleaginous  Plants      57 

Dye  Plants 64. 

Textile  Plants 65: 

Agricultural  Products , 67 

BQdcultural  iproDuctions 7r 

Coffee 71 

Manner  of  Cultivating  Coffee  and  Estimated  Profits  ....    75 

Important  Letter  Bearing  on  the  Subject  by  Former  U.  S. 

Consul 80 

Bananas 86 

Expense  of  Banana  Productions  and  Profits 90 

Table  of  Banana  Plantations 94 

Cocoa 96 

A  Letter  on  the  Subject  by  John  Schroeder 98 

Manner  of  Cultivating  Cocoa  and  Estimated  Profits  ....  102 

Sugar  Cane 106 

Cotton  and  Wheat 107 

Cocoanuts 109 

Rice,  Beans  and  Corn 109 

Potatoes 114 

Sarsaparilla  and  Vanilla 114 

Tobacco      114 

India  Rubber 115, 

Indigo 115, 

Indigenous  Fruits  and  New  Culture 116 

An  Affidavit  by  an  American  Citizen  Bearing  on  the  Subject.  116 
Comparative   Table   of  Expense   of  Production    and   Net 

Profit  in  Costa  Rica  and  the  United  States 121 

Stock  Farming      124 

Costa  IRica's  Greatest  Tlillant— Emigration     134 

TBUbcre  to  Settle 139 


*^  \;i:./  ^  ill    %, 


Ifntrobuction. 


FTER  having  traveled  extensively  throughout 
the  United  States  and  Costa  Rica,  and  visited 
nearly  all  the  repubHcs  from  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama  to  the  greatest  of  the  World's 
Republics — the  United  States — I  humbl)- 
present  this  series  of  notes,  facts,  and  im- 
pressions of  Costa  Rica.  The  material  has 
been  gathered  in  a  neutral  way  from  all  accessible  resources, 
and  especially  from  my  personal  connections  with  the  National 
Bureau  of  Statistics.  This  favored  position  has  enabled  me 
to  gather  valuable  information,  which  I  present  in  this  pam- 
phlet in  a  somewhat  disconnected  style.  My  definite  appoint- 
ment as  Commissioner  of  Costa  Rica  to  the  Cotton  States 
and  International  Exposition  reached  me  at  so  late  a  date 
that  this  pamphlet  must,  of  necessity,  be  hastily  prepared 
and  printed  ;  but  I  hope  that  my  readers  will  be  able  to  read 
between  the  lines,  and  gather  from  the  tabulated  facts  the  true 
story  of  Costa  Rica's  quiescent  wealth. 

Having  crossed  and  recrossed,  and  lived  for  prolonged 
periods  in  both  the  United  States  and  Costa  Rica,  I  modestly 
claim  to  have  viewed  things,  while  in  Costa  Rica,  with  an  Amer- 


ican  eye,  and  have  devoted  special  attention  to  studying^  the 
industries  and  national  resources  of  the  country  of  especial  in- 
terest to  progress  in  America. 

I  have  often  been  strongly  impressed,  and  even  grieved, 
while  travelling  over  the  western  states  and  territories,  at  the 
hard  and  unremunerative  efforts  of  an  honest  people  trying  to 
make  lands,  that  seem  to  me  like  deserts,  produce  food.  It 
hardly  seems  possible  that,  in  this  age  of  adventure  and  ad- 
vancement, an  almost  unlimited  territory,  with  a  tropical 
sun,  a  temperate  climate,  assured  rains,  lands  whose  fertility" 
are  exhaustless,  and  whose  seasons  permit  of  two  or  more 
crops  a  year,  should  be  left  neglected,  while  men,  failing  to 
cultivate  wastes,  die  of  discouragement.  Yet  such  is  the  case,, 
and  all  because  of  the  mistaken,  popular  report  of  burning  heat, 
death-dealing  fevers,  etc.,  which  exist  only  in  the  low  lands 
and  swamps,  and  of  which  Costa  Rica  has  very  little.  We  have, 
indeed,  reached  a  time  when  the  tide  of  emigration  should  go 
South,  to  Costa  Rica,  the  tropical  land,  with  a  prolonged  May 
day  splendor,  where  neither  oppressive  heat  nor  freezing  cold 
prevail,  and  the  flowers  are  ever  in  bloom. 

It  is  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  that  the  Costa  Ricans 
look  for  true  American  labor  to  develop  its  sleeping  wealth. 
It  is  to  them,  that  they  look  for  men  with  the  blood  of  never- 
dying  thrift  coursing  through  their  veins.  It  is  from  them,, 
and  them  only,  that  Costa  Rica  expects  permanent  develop- 
mental aid,  and  if  this  book  falls  into  the  hands  of  men  of 
honest  efforts,  who  can  and  will  unite  it  to  southern  lethargy, 
its  object  will  be  effected,  and  my  work,  which  is  devoted 
alike  to  the  Americans  and  Costa  Ricans,  will  have  served  its. 
mission. 


Mb^  IS  Costa  IRica  SJesirable  as  a 
permanent  Ibome  T 


^O  ANSWER  the  question  that  heads  this 
article  is,  beyond  doubt,  the  easiest  thing 
imaginable,  and  can  be  done  by  simply 
saying,  because  pleasure,  wealth  and 
health  can  readily  be  obtained  in  this 
delectable  spot.  In  order  to  prove  that 
this  statement  is  not  exaggerated,  I  can 
only  say, "  Go  thither  and  be  convinced!"  But  before  you 
go,  kind  reader,  permit  me  to  point  out  some  of  the  most 
important  features  of  the  country. 

First: — Costa  Rica,  with  an  area  of  31,2201^  square 
miles,  which  makes  her  twice  as  large  as  either  Switzerland  or 
Denmark,  and  three  times  the  size  of  Belgium,  has  about 
243,205  inhabitants,  and  a  total  annual  business  with  foreign 
countries  amounting  to  ^13,271,779,  which  averages 
$54.57  per  individual,  including  women  and  children.  This 
is  a  larger  proportion  per  capita  than  that  of  France,  Italy  or 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  ffSir.  1RiCbar^ 
"IDillafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
110  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 


Spain,  where  the  rate  of  foreign  commerce  is  $40.05,  $14.08 
and  $17.62  respectively.  The  above  figures  clearly  demon- 
strate that  the  people  are  extremely  active,  and  that  the 
resources  of  the  country  are  marvelous  to  permit  them  to 
accomplish  so  much,  when  they  are  in  need  of  so  many  of 
the  facilities  possessed  by  older  nations,  such  as  scientific 
workmen,  railroads,  and  improved  machinery.  These  would 
perform  in  an  hour,  the  work  that  now  takes  the  native  of 
Costa  Rica  one  or  two  days. 

The  traveler  will  notice  at  once,  the  peculiar  configuration 
of  Costa  Rica  with  its  range  of  mountains,  transversing  the 
country  in  almost  a  southeasterly  direction,  rising  abruptly 
from  the  level  lands  on  the  coast,  and  forming  beautiful  pla- 
teaus and  extensive  valleys  at  different  altitudes,  which  resem- 
ble the  terraces  in  a  garden  ;  its  large  rivers,  many  of  them 
navigable,  and  numberless  other  smaller  streams  that  irrigate 
every  foot  of  ground,  and  afford  motive  powers  for  all  indus- 
tries ;  with  abundance  of  excellent  harbors  on  either  ocean. 

All  these  circumstances  explain  perfectly  the  reason  for 
finding  in  that  country  the  most  varied  productions  of  both 
the  tropical  -and  temperate  zones,  at  such  short  distances  that 
a  man  can,  in  one  day,  attend  to  his  wheat  field  situated  in 
the  colder  region  of  the  plateau,  give  his  instructions  on  a  coffee 
plantation  located  in  a  warmer  and  lower  position,  descend  still 
further  to  the  sugar-cane  "  fincas  "  where  he  superintends  the 
manufacture  of  hs  sugar,  and  from  thence  proceed  to  hotter 
and  lower  lands  to  inspect  the  works  of  cacao  gathering, 
banana  planting,  rubber  culture  or  mahogany  cutting. 

In  this  country,  where  no  extremes  of  heat  or  cold  exist,  the 
most  fanciful  persons  may,  in  only  a  few  minutes,  remove  their 
headquarters  to  any  temperature  ranging  between  55°  and  82°, 
and  whatever  locality  be  their  choice,  they  will  always  find  that 
the  temperature  selected  will  remain  almost  unchanged  through- 
out the  length  of  their  visits,  though  extended  for  a  year. 

There   you  can   find   stores  where  all  the  luxuries  of  the 


European  markets  are  sold ;  markets  well  provided  with  the 
necessaries  of  life  and  dainties  to  satisfy  the  most  capricious 
appetite  ;  houses,  large  and  small,  comfortable  and  pretty,  but, 
remember,  they  are  no  palaces  ;  coquettish  parks  where  excel- 
lent bands  play  several  times  a  week  for  the  benefit  of  the 
citizens  ;  public  buildings,  large,  substantial  and  even  elegant, 
but  not  costing  twenty  millions  of  dollars,  as  did  the  capitol 
of  Albany,  naturally  do  not  pose  as  marvels  ;  schools  and  col- 
leges provided  with  competent  native  and  foreign  teachers  where 
children  may  get  a  very  good  education  ;  hospitals  and  other 
charitable  institutions  ;  mineral  springs,  Avarm  and  cold,  with  ex- 
cellent medicinal  properties  ;  fertile  and  abundant  land  that 
yields  everything  imaginable ;  rich  mines  of  gold,  silver, 
copper  and  iron,  mercury,  coal,  silex,  white  and  variegated 
marble,  onyx,  sulphur,  pumice  stone,  alabaster,  alum,  quartz, 
crystal,  etc.;  forests  containing  valuable  woods  for  building, 
dyeing  and  furniture  making  ;  and  finally,  a  government  thor- 
oughly republican,  that  besides  protecting  the  rights  of  each 
citizen,  is  willing  to  offer  every  inducement  to  honest  foreigners 
who  desire  to  establish  themselves  in  a  country,  where  the 
people  are  most  hospitable,  and  ready  to  welcome  with  open 
arms,  every  one  who  comes  into  the  republic,  bringing  new 
elements  of  progress  and  civilization. 


Ibow  to  (Bet  XTbere. 

There  are  two  important  ports  in  the  country  ;  Puntarenas 
on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  Port  Limon  on  the  Carribbean  Sea. 
Both  of  these  ports  are  touched  regularly  by  comfortable 
steamers.  For  travelers  from  any  of  the  Eastern  section  of 
the  United  States,  the  best  plan  is,  undoubtedly,  to  engage 
passage  in  one  of  the  weekly  steamers  which,  leaving  the  port 
of  New  York,  sails  by  way  of  Colon  to  Limon  ;  this  route  is 
perhaps  the  longest,  requiring  from  thirteen  to  fourteen  days 


to  land  in  the  territory  of  Costa  Rica,  but  it  affords  perfect 
comfort,  as  the  steamers  used  by  the  two  Hnes,  which  run 
between  the  ports  mentioned,  are  provided  with  everything^ 
necessary  for  the  convenience  and  pleasure  of  the  passengers. 

Another  route  is  especially  serviceable  for  people  leaving 
any  of  the  Southern  or  Central  States  ;  this  goes  from  New 
Orleans  directly  to  Limon,  and  consists  of  small  steamers 
engaged  in  the  banana  trade.  This  trip  is  made  in  from  four, 
to  four  and  one-half  days,  a  circumstance  which,  together  with 
the  low  cost  of  passage,  is  quite  an  inducement  to  those  who 
are  willing  to  disregard  the  lack  of  comforts  on  the  vessels. 

There  is  a  third  route  which  is  usually  adopted  by  the 
people  from  California  or  others  of  the  Western  States.  By 
this  route  steamers  are  boarded  in  San  Francisco  ;  after  touch- 
ing at  many  of  the  Mexican  and  Central  American  ports,  pas- 
sengers land  at  Puntarenas,  after  a  period  of  fifteen  or  six- 
teen days.  This  trip  affords  the  traveler  many  opportunities 
of  visiting  the  main  sea  ports  of  Mexico  and  Central  America, 
and  even  a  few  of  the  interior  towns  ;  some  of  the  points  not 
in  its  favor  are  its  long  duration,  and  the  inconveniences  expe- 
rienced in  journeying  from  Puntarenas  to  the  capital  of  the 
country,  a  jaunt  which  is  both  tedious  and  expensive,  owing 
to  the  many  changes  from  the  railroad  to  the  backs  of  mules, 
and  vice-versa. 

For  Europeans  the  best  system  is  to  take  a  steamer  from 
any  of  the  principal  ports,  bound  direct  to  Colon,  where  they 
select  the  route  which  best  suits  their  purpose.  If  desirous  of 
saving  time,  the  most  practical  way  of  reaching  Costa  Rica  is 
by  embarking  on  one  of  the  vessels  that  run  between  Colon 
and  Limon,  making  the  trip  in  about  a  day  and  a  half;  but  if 
they  wish  to  visit  the  mines  or  farming  lands  of  the  western 
slope,  the  most  feasible  plan  would  be  to  cross  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  by  rail,  and  take  there,  one  of  the  steamers  sailing  to 
the  Central  American  ports,  reaching  Puntarenas  in  a  day  and 
a  half  after  leaving  Panama. 


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ITo  TReacb  the  Capital-San  Jose/ 

When  the  traveler  arrives  at  Puntarenas,  where  the  landing 
is  made  in  pretty  little  boats  which  carry  him  to  a  substantial 
iron  pier,  he  must  procure  "  carreteros  "  to  carry  his  baggage 
in  ox-carts  to  the  interior,  paying  for  such  services  from  thirty 
cents  to  one  dollar  and  a  half  per  arroba  (25  pounds),  accord- 
ing to  the  season  ;  the  rates  are  highest  during  the  winter, 
and  lowest  in  the  summer  season.  As  it  takes  from  five  to 
eight  days  for  the  ox-carts  to  reach  the  capital,  it  is  wise  to 
carry  small  valises  containing  a  couple  of  suits  and  some 
changes  of  linen.  It  is  also  quite  important  to  engage  the 
services  of  a  man  or  "  maletero  "  to  attend  to  the  horses  or 
carry  the  valises. 

When  all  these  preparations  have  been  made,  the  next  step 
is  to  purchase  a  railroad  ticket  for  the  journey  of  the  fourteen 
miles  which  separate  the  port  from  a  small  town  called 
*'Esparta";  here  horses  have  to  be  engaged  to  ride  to  the 
city  of  Alajuela  (36  miles)  over  a  road  which  passes  through 
a  number  of  little  towns  and  settlements.  It  is  often  the  case 
that  the  horses  will  become  lame  or  tired,  and  travelers  are 
compelled  to  remain  a  day,  and  perhaps  a  night,  at  a  peasant's 
house  or  in  a  village  where  there  are  no  hotels  ;  hence  it  is 
quite  necessary  to  carry  saddle-bags  well  supplied  with  edibles, 
and  also  a  few  blankets. 

On  arriving  at  Alajuela  the  mules  are  left,  and  the  passen- 
gers are  glad  to  rest  on  the  luxurious  cushions  of  a  train 
which  runs  to  San  Jose  (the  capital),  a  distance  of  thirteen 
and  one-quarter  m.iles. 

The  traveler  lands  at  Limon  without  having  to  go  through 
the  annoyances  experienced  in  most  ports  of  Central  America, 
for,  when  the  steamer  reaches  the  magnificent  wharf,  he  finds 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  /TOr.  1Ricbar6 
Willafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
110  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 


14 


a  commodious  railway  which  will  convey  him  to  a  place  near 
Reventazon.  Here  the  road  branches  off,  and  the  traveler 
may  remain  in  the  same  train,  which  will  take  him  through 
beautiful  forests  and  imposing  canons  to  the  old  capital 
(Cartago),  and  thence  to  San  Jose,  making  the  whole  taip  in 
about  six  or  seven  hours.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  prefers 
to  take  the  branch  line  to  Carrillo,  which  is  the  terminus,  he 
will  certainly  see  many  a  gigantic  iron  bridge,  and  the  won- 
derful plains  called,  "  llanos  del  Sta  Clara,"  where  hundreds 
of  banana  plantations,  thriving  in  veritable  luxuriance,  contrib- 
ute their  products  to  supply  the  demands  of  the  United  States 
markets  ;  but  he  will  experience  the  inconvenience  of  traveling 
from  Carrillo  to  the  capital  (twenty-five  miles)  on  horseback, 
spending  an  entire  day  in  covering  that  short  distance,  and 
very  often  suffering  the  discomfort  of  a  heavy  shower. 

This  latter  route  was  the  only  available  one  from  Limon  to 
San  Jose  up  to  the  17th  of  December,  1890,  when  the  second 
line  was  inaugurated  and  opened  to  the  public.  Notwith- 
standing; the  inconvenience  of  the  horseback  ride  from  Carrillo 
to  San  Jose,  strangers  should  not  fail  to  make  at  least  one 
trip  to,  or  from  Limon,  through  that  marvelous  portion  of  the 
country  ;  reserving  for  another  day,  the  jaunt  over  the  former 
route,  for  it,  too,  is  full  of  incomparable  beauties. 


(Beootapbical  position  of  the 
IRepublic. 

Of  the  five  independent  nations  of  Central  America,  Costa 
Rica  is  the  most  southern,  having  on  the  northwest  the 
Republic  of  Nicaragua,  and  on  the  southeast  the  Republic  of 
Colombia,  South  America  ;  its  eastern  shore  is  washed  by  the 
waters  of  the  Carribbean  Sea,  and  its  western  confine  is  the 
Pacific  Ocean.      It  lies  between  the   8°   and    11°    16'   north 

15 


latitude,  and  the  81°  40'  and  the  85°  39'  longitude  west  of 
the  meridian  of  Greenwich. 

A  casual  glance  at  the  map  will  demonstrate  that  Costa 
Rica,  by  the  mere  fact  of  its  geographical  position,  is  destined 
to  be,  in  the  near  future,  one  of  the  most  important  sections 
in  America,  and  the  possibilities  of  a  rapid  growth  appear  as 
an  unquestionable  certainty,  when  we  consider  that  its  eastern 
and  western  boundaries  are  the  two  oceans,  whose  waters 
penetrate  into  the  irregularities  of  the  coast  line,  forming  num- 
berless harbors,  safe  and  attractive,  wherein  vessels  can 
always  find  valuable  cargoes,  brought  from  the  interior  either 
by  rail  or  fluvial  communications. 

No  less  important  is  the  fact  that  either  the  Nicaragua  or 
the  Panama  Canal  (or  both)  will  have  to  be  built,  thus  sup- 
plying the  country  with  new  facilities  for  transportation,  and 
converting  it  into  a  sort  of  universal  warehouse  for  vessels 
going  and  coming  from  every  part  of  the  world. 

The  salubrity  of  its  climate,  the  comforts  of  civilization,  the 
beauties  of  nature,  the  hospitality  of  the  people,  the  undis- 
turbed condition  of  the  political  institutions,  and  the  countless 
resources  found  in  the  land,  will  doubtless  make  of  Costa 
Rica  one  of  the  most  desirable  of  places  to  immigrants  seek- 
ing shelter,  from  either  the  penetrating  cold  or  the  suffocating 
heat  experienced  in  most  other  places,  not  excepting  Europe 
or  the  United  States. 


Hrea,  population  anb  political 
©ipieione. 

Area. — The  area  of  the  Republic  of  Costa  Rica  is  calcu- 
lated in  31,220^  square  miles,  but  the  probability  is  that  the 
territory  is  much  larger.  There  are  so  many  different  opin- 
ions on  the  subject,  the  above  estimate  has  been  accepted  as 

16 


the  one  that  approaches  nearest  to  the  truth,  until  a  survey 
of  the  country  reveals  the  real  extent,  and  brings  before  the 
public  the  hidden  and,  undoubtedly,  exhaustless  resources  of 
the  many  portions  at  present  unknown. 

Population. — The  number  given  as  the  population  of  the 
country  is  not  absolutely  correct.  Some  estimates  place  it  at 
,250,000  inhabitants,  while  others  give  but  200,000.  This 
jdiscrepency  is  due  to  the  difficulty  encountered  in  the  prep- 
aration of  the  census,  which  arises  from  the  fear  of  the 
villagers  to  inscribe  their  names,  beheving  that  such  regis- 
tration is  intended  either  for  military  services  or  for  taxation. 
Therefore  they  seek  refuge  in  the  forests  where  they  remain 
until  the  work  is  done.  To  avoid  these  unsatisfactory  results, 
other  plans,  less  accurate,  have  been  resorted  to  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  the  official  reports  for  the  year  1892  show  that 
the  country's  population  amounts  to  243,205. 

Political  Divisions. — Inhabitants  distributed  in  five  prov- 
inces and  two  "  Comarcas  "  as  follows  : 

Province  of  San  Jose. 

County  of  San  Jose 39,112 

"         "  Escasu 6,522 

"         "  Desamparados 6,471 

"         "  Puriscal 6,845 

"  Aserri 6,030 

"         "  Mora 5,814 

"         "  Tarrasu 2,583 

"         "  Goicocehea 3)34i 


Total 76,718 

Province  of  Alajuela. 

County  of  Alajuela 19,300 

"         "  Grecia 8,797 

"         "  San  Ramon 9,928 

"         "  San  Mateo 3,353 

"         "  Naranjo 6,847 

"         "  Palmares 2,770 


Total 


57,203 


Province  of  Heredia. 

County  of  Heredia 16,480 

"         "  Barba 2,964 

"         "  Santo  Domingo 5, 118 

"         "  Sta.    Barbara 2,845 

"         "  San  Rafael 4,204 

Total 31,611 

Province  of  Cartago. 

County  of  Cartago 25,898 

"         "  Paraiso 7,819 

"         "La  Union 4,256 

9 

Total 37>793 

Province  of  Guanacaste. 

County  of  Liberia 5,883 

"         "  Bagaces 1,476 

"         "  Nicoya 4,577 

"  Sta.  Cruz 5,948 

"         "  Las  Caiias *  .  2, 165 

Total 20,049 

Province  of  Puntarenas. 

County  of  Puntarenas 8,869 

"         "  Esparta 3,298 

Total     ..........    12,167 

Comarca  of  Limon. 
County  of  Limon 7,484 

Grand  Total 243,205 

Thus  the  territorial  extent  of  Costa  Rica,  given  as  31,220^ 
square  miles,  and  its  population  as  209,644,  only  averages  the 
small  proportion  of  6.71  inhabitants  for  each  square  mile, 
which  compared  with  the  population  of  Massachusetts  (221.8 
per  square  mile),  Rhode  Island  (254.9  Pci"  square  mile),  Italy 
(261.79  P^^  square  mile),  Netherlands  (312.86  per  square 
mile)  and  Belgium  (48 1 .7 1   per  square   mile),  proves  that  the 

18 


population  in  Costa  Rica  should  not  be  less  than  6,924,707 
inhabitants,  and  as  large  a  number  as  15,039,227  could  live 
comfortably  and  derive  the  benefits  of  a  country  whose  sur- 
prising wealth  is  but  dimly  realized,  even  by  the  natives  them- 
selves. 

(Beneral  ^opogtapb^. 

fB>ountain0, 

The  territory  of  Costa  Rica  is  crossed  from  northwest 
to  southeast  by  a  range  of  mountains  which  ramify  in  every 
direction  forming  high  plateaus,  extensive  valleys  and  lofty 
hills,  some  of  which  are  of  a  volcanic  nature.  The  principal 
branches  of  the  main  range  are  the  mountains  of  Talamanca, 
towards  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  country  ;  the  moun- 
tain of  Dota,  located  near  the  centre  and  running  from  east  to 
west,  forming  five  or  six  smaller  ranges,  the  principal  of  which 
are  known  as  Cerros  de  Bustamante,  Salvage,  Caraigres,  Can- 
delaria  and  Puriscal,  which  ultimately  unite  and  form  the 
mountain  Azul ;  the  mountains  of  Chirripo  and  Turrialba  in 
the  province  of  Cartago  ;  Toro  Amarillo  and  Barba  in  Heredia  ; 
Congo,  Tigre,  Poas,  San  Carlos  and  Mt.  del  Aguacate  in  Ala- 
juela  ;  Cerros  del  Sardinal,  Camalina,  Naranjo  and  Sarnoso  in 
Guanacaste  ;  Maderal,  Matapalo,  Campana,  Mallasmo,  Sta 
Rita,  Ario,  Cerros  del  Ojo  de  Agua  and  Cerros  de  la  Cueva  in 
the  peninsula  of  Nicoya  ;  finally,  Sal-si-puedes  on  the  penin- 
sula of  Golfo  Dulce. 

The  principal  peaks,  which  tower  above  these  mountains, 
and  their  heights  are  as  follows  :  Pico  Rovalo  (7,200  feet), 
Ujum  (9,600  feet)  and  Pico  Blanco  (i  1,800  feet)  on  the  Tala- 
manca, range  and  Cerros  de  la  Muerte  on  the  mountains  of 
Dota.  The  volcanoes  in  the  country  and  their  elevations  are  : 
Irazu  (11,500  feet)  and  Turrialba  (11,350  feet)  in  Cartago  ; 
Cacho  Negro  in  the  mountains  of  Sarapiqui,  and  Barba  (8,700 
feet)  in  the  Barba  Mountain  (both   in    Heredia)  ;   Poas   (8,895 

19 


feet)  in  the  mountains  of  Poas,  Alajuela  ;  Tenorio  Miravalles 
(4,700  feet),  Rincon  de  la  Vieja  and  Orosi  (5,200  feet)  in  the 
range  of  Guanacaste.  Of  the  volcanoes  only  a  limited  num- 
ber show  any  signs  of  activity,  and  these  were  considered  nearly 
harmless  until  the  last  of  1888,  and  the  first  of  1889,  when 
some  severe  shocks  reminded  the  peaceful  inhabitants  of  Costa 
Rica  of  the  existence  of  these  proud  sentinels,  who  shook 
down  a  few  antique,  incommodious  houses  which  they  would 
not  consent  to  longer  disfigure  the  country. 

While  the  country  is  well  provided  with  such  a  great  num- 
ber of  mountains,  whose  different  altitudes  occasion  the  great- 
est variety  in  climate  and,  consequently,  of  products,  there  are 
also  wide  valleys  located  at  various  heights,  most  of  them 
being  surrounded  by  stately  hills.  There  are  also  extensive 
plains  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Slopes,  on  the  shores  of  Lake 
Nicaragua  and  the  banks  of  the  San  Juan  River,  from  which 
the  mountains  rise,  sometimes  gradually,  but  more  often 
ascending  suddenly  until  their  summits  are  lost  in  the  clouds. 
These  plains,  being  the  lowest,  are  always  the  warmest  sec- 
tions of  the  country,  and  as  they  are  thoroughly  irrigated  by 
countless  rivers  and  rivulets  flowing  from  the  neighboring 
mountains  and  hills,  produce  the  most  luxuriant  vegetation 
that  can  be  desired. 

The  principal  plains  or  "  llanuras  "  are,  in  the  North,  Tortu- 
guero,  Guatuso,  Sta  Clara,  Colorado  and  San  Carlos  ;  in  the 
South,  are  El  General,  Pirris,  Nueva  Sta  Maria,  Cahas  Gordas 
and  Terraba.  There  are  a  great  many  others  scattered  over 
the  republic,  especially  in  Guanacaste  and  in  the  most  southern 
portion  of  the  country,  which  are  not  as  well  known  as  those 
mentioned  ;  these  owe  their  celebrity  to  their  inexhaustible 
i^esources. 

1l0lant)9,  peninsulas  anb  Capes. 

The  islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  are  as  follows  : — west  of 
Guanacaste  we  find  the  islands  of  Castalinas  and  Samara.     In 


the  Gulf  of  Nicoya  lie  Chira,  Venado,  Bejuco,  Caballos,  Benu- 
gale,  Jasper,  Alcatraz  and  San  Lucas  Islands  ;  the  last  one  is 
used  by  the  Government,  who  send  there  criminals  of  serious 
offences.  West  of  the  most  southern  part  of  the  country  are 
found  the  islands  of  Onepos,  El  Cano,  and  the  celebrated 
island  of  El  Coco,  where  there  is  supposed  to  be  a  hidden 
treasure,  left  there  by  pirates,  and  which  has  been  frequently, 
but  unsuccessfully,  sought  by  believers  in  the  legend.  On 
this  same  island,  the  Government  has  erected  a  penitentiary 
for  the  incarceration  of  criminals  condemned  to  the  highest 
possible  punishment. 

In  the  Atlantic  Ocean  is  the  island  of  Uvita  which  lies 
opposite  the  town  of  Limon  ;  on  this  island  a  quarantine 
station  and  a  hospital  have  been  established  by  the  Govern- 
ment. Forming  the  entrances  to  Bocas  del  Toro  and  Laguna 
de  Chiriqui  Bayo  are  the  islands  of  Colon,  San  Cristobal, 
Bastimento,  Popa  and  Escudo  de  Veraguas. 

The  principal  peninsulas  and  capes  along  the  Pacific  coast 
are  Capes  Descates,  Murcielagos,  Gorda,  Morris,  Hermoso, 
Filibustero,  Guiones,  and  Quinanes  on  the  western  shore  of 
Guanacaste.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  Nicoya  Peninsula  are 
found  Capes  Blanco,  Bocana,  and  Vela.  On  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Nicoya  Gulf  are  Capes  Puntarenas,  noted  for  the  pretty 
port  located  on  it,  (also  called  "  Puntarenas  "),  and  Capes 
Caldera,  Sucia  and  Herradura.  Laved  directly  by  the  waters 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  lying  between  the  Nicoya  and  Dulce 
Gulfs  are  Capes  Judas,  Dominical,  Uvita,  Mala,  Violin,  Llor- 
ona,  Salsipuedes  and  Matapalo ;  the  last  four  are  on  the 
western  side  of  the  peninsula  of  Gulf  Dulce,  while  projecting 
from  the  eastern  side,  and  into  the  gulf  are  Capes  Sombrero, 
Fifrito,  Arenitas  and  Tigre ;  on  the  eastern  side  of  this  same 
gulf  are  Capes  Golfito,  Del  Banes  and  Platanal.  The  most 
southern  point  on  the  Pacific  coast  is  formed  by  Cape  Burica, 
which  is  the  place  where  the  limits  of  Costa  Rica  reach 
Colombia. 


The  capes  on  the  Atlantic^Ocean  are  Punta  de  Castilla, 
which  is  most  northern  and  marks  the  beginning  of  the  boun- 
dary Hne  between  Costa  Rica  and  Nicaragua ;  Blanca  or 
Portela  projecting  between  the  Moin  and  Limon  Bays  ;  Capes 
Cahuito,  Carreto,  Monos  and  Sarabeta  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
Talamanca,  and  finally,  Cape  Valiente  at  the  entrance  of 
Laguna  de  Chiriqui. 

IRlvers,  Xakee  anb  Ibarbors. 

The  many  navigable  rivers  which  empty  into  the  Pacific 
and  Atlantic  Oceans,  Lake  Nicaragua,  and  the  San  Juan 
Rivers,  forming  natural  highways  for  the  transportation  of  the 
products  of  the  country,  and  the  multitude  of  smaller  rivers 
which  cross  the  land  in  every  direction,  thus  fertilizing  the 
soil,  originate  from  the  mountainous  character  of  the  country 
and  the  short  distance  between  the  oceans.  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  tropical  sun,  dense  clouds  are  drawn  from  these 
two  vast  bodies  of  water,  swept  over  the  country  by  the  pre- 
vailing trade  winds,  condensed  by  the  gigantic  mountains  and 
coaxed  to  descend,  finally,  in  heavy  showers,  which  thoroughly 
impregnate  the  ground. 

The  density  of  the  forests  retains  the  moisture  thus  obtained, 
and  produces  innumerable  crystal-like  springs  that  burst  out 
from  the  sides  of  every  hill  and  mountain  ;  many  of  these 
streams  unite  in  their  course  and  form  the  rivers  with  which 
Costa  Rica  is  so  well  provided.  The  direction  in  which  the 
rivers  flow  is  determined  by  the  great  range  of  mountains  that 
crosses  the  country,  dividing  it  into  two  important  slopes,  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  ;  thus  it  is  that  the  rivers  springing  from 
the  eastern  side  of  the  range  empty  into  the  Atlantic,  and 
those  on  the  western  side  into  the  Pacific.  There  is,  also,  a 
slope  of  minor  importance,  formed  by  a  cross  range  in  the 
northern  part  of  Costa  Rica,  which  causes  a  number  of  rivers 
to  flow  into  Lake  Nicaragua  and  San  Juan  River. 


FLOWING    INTO 

Lake  Nicaragua. 
San  Juan  River. 

Atlantic  Ocean. 


Bahia  del  Tortuguero. 


Pacific  Ocean. 


Gulf  of  Nicoya,  Pacific  Ocean. 


The  principal  navigable  rivers  are 

RIVER 

River  Frio, 
"       San  Carlos, 
"       Sarapiqui, 
"      San  Juan, 
"       Parismina, 
California, 

Francisco  Maria  Soto 
Reventazon, 
River  Changuinola, 
"       Palacio, 
"      Penitencia, 
Naranjo, 
Savegre, 
Baru , 

Tempisque, 

Las  Piedras,  "  "  "  " 

There  are  eighty  other  rivers  which,  though  not  navigable, 
are  large  enough  for  all  other  purposes  and  afford  abundance 
of  motive  power.  Besides  these,  countless  rivulets  are  found 
in  every  direction. 

The  country  has  no  lakes  of  great  importance.  There  are 
a  few  of  small  dimensions,  and  of  no  use  for  commercial  pur- 
poses, but  their  banks  will  eventually  prove  of  great  import- 
ance as  sites  for  winter  and  summer  resorts  for  the  people  of 
northern  regions,  who  may  wish  to  sojourn  in  Costa  Rica. 
The  principal  are 

Lake  Manata  toward  the  northwest  near  Sarapiqui  River. 
Poas  on  the  volcano  of  Poas. 
Barba    "  "        "  Barba. 

Sansan  toward  the  east  near  Sixola,  River  Talamanca. 
Tenorio  toward  the  west  in  Guanacaste. 
Sicope  toward  the  south,  north  of  Golfo  Dulce. 
San  Carlos  toward  the  north ,  on  the  plains  of  San  Carlos. 


23 


Both  coasts  of  Costa  Rica,  the  eastern  and  the  western,  are 
well  provided  with  large  and  sheltered  ports  and  harbors, 
wherein  vessels  of  any  dimensions  can  safely  enter.  The 
principal  ones  on  the  Pacific  coast  are  the  bays  of  Salinas, 
Murcielago,  and  the  Santa  Elena  in  the  Gulf  of  Papagallo 
situated  towards  the  northwest ;  the  bays  of  Culebra  and 
Cocos  on  the  coast  of  Guanacaste  ;  Port  Puntarenas,  Ballena, 
Caldera  and  Herradura  Bays  in  the  Gulf  of  Nicoya ;  Brava 
and  Sierpe  Bays  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Comarca  of  Pun- 
tarenas ;  Agujas,  Golfito  and,  Pavon  Bays  in  Dulce  Gulf,  and, 
finally,  David  Bay  in  the  most  southern  portion  of  the  coast. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast  are  found  the  Boreas  del  Colorado  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Colorado  River,  the  Bay  of  Tortuguero 
wherein  empty  the  Penitencia  and  Sierpe  Rivers  ;  the  Paris- 
mina  Bay  into  which  empties  the  Parismina  River ;  the  Pacuare 
Bay  into  which  the  Pacuare  River  flows  ;  the  Moin  Bay  and 
the  port  of  Limon  both  on  the  loth  parallel  of  latitude,  Limon 
being  a  few  miles  east  of  Moin  ;  Port  Viejo  between  Capes 
Cahuita  and  Carreta  ;  Sandan  Bay  which  is  a  little  south  of 
the  Telire  River  and  a  number  of  other  bays  in  Bocas  del 
Toro  and  Laguna  de  Chiriqui. 


Climate  anb  Seasons/ 

The  general  impression  held  by  foreigners,  who  have  never 
visited  the  country,  in  regard  to  the  climate  is,  as  in  other 
matters,  a  very  erroneous  one.  The  fact  that  the  southern 
cities  of  the  United  States,  particularly  the  sea-ports,  are 
warmer  and,  perhaps,  less  healthy  than  those  of  a  more  north- 
ern climate,  is  no  good  reason  for  the  belief  that  countries, 
lying  still  farther  south  and  nearer  to  the  equatorial  line,  must 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  /IDr.  1Ricbar^ 
IDillafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing-  Co., 
no  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 

24 


be  warmer  and  more  unhealthy  in  the  same  proportion,  as  their 
relative  distance  from  the  poles. 

The  natural  conditions  of  Costa  Rica  are  such,  that  even 
located  as  it  is  between  degrees  8°  and  1 1°  i6'  north  latitude, 
no  extremes  of  heat  are  ever  felt.  The  temperature  is  uniform 
and  mild  throughout  the  entire  year,  varying  only  according 
to  the  altitude  of  the  locality.  On  the  coast  and  up  to  about 
1, 600  feet,  the  temperature  varies  from  72°  to  82°  F. ;  at 
1 ,640  feet,  it  is  about  69.80°;  at  2,625  feet,  about  66.20°;. 
at  3,937  feet,  from  57°  to  60°  ;  at  5,905  feet,  from  51.80°  to 
54.40°,  and  at  9,186  feet,  ranges  from  44,60°  to  48.20°. 

The  mild  temperature  enjoyed  throughout  the  country 
necessarily  contributes  to  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  and 
there  are,  therefore,  no  endemic  or  malignant  diseases.  Nor 
even  on  the  coast,  always  warmer,  generally  low,  and  often 
swampy,  are  known  to  exist  any  coast  fevers  ;  this  is  due, 
perhaps,  to  the  constant  sea  breezes,  which  carry  away  the 
miasmas,  that  would  otherwise  accumulate  and  injure  the 
healthful  conditions  of  the  coastal  belt. 

To  say  that  on  the  coast  there  are  never  any  attacks  of 
malaria  would  not  be  altogether  exact,  for  people  going  from 
the  colder  to  the  warmer  regions  of  the  country,  or  foreigners 
from  more  northern  latitudes,  are  subject  to  them  if  no 
proper  care  is  taken  to  avoid  them  ;  for  this  reason  it  is  advis- 
able not  to  use  too  freely  the  water,  fruits  and  liquors,  and  to 
avoid  a  lengthened  exposure  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  or 
the  dampness  of  the  evening  until  acclimated  ;  then,  living  on 
the  coast  is  nearly  as  safe  as  in  the  interior. 

The  death  rate  given  below  for  1889  will  clearly  demon- 
strate that  the  climate  of  Costa  Rica  is,  undoubtedly,  perfectly 
healthy.  "  The  total  amount  of  deaths  in  the  whole  country 
was  estimated  as  2.54  per  cent,  for  each  one  hundred  inhabi- 
tants ;  of  these,  1.501  per  cent,  were  children  under  ten  years 
of  age.  The  mortality  in  Puntarenas,  for  the  same  year,  was 
3.84  per  cent,  for  every  one  hundred  individuals.      The   large 

25 


mortality  among  children,  amounting  to  58.97  per  cent,  of  the 
whole  death  rate,  is  due  entirely  to  the  lack  of  care  and 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  peasants  in  raising  their  off- 
spring, who  are  allowed  to  go  barefooted,  are  scantily  clothed, 
and  permitted  to  eat  fruits  which  are  not  considered  whole- 
some, even  for  grown  people. 

Comparing  the  above  figures  with  those  obtained  in  other 
countries,  it  will  be  noticed  that  Costa  Rica,  even  with  such  a 
heavy  loss  of  children,  has  a  far  better  climate  than  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  where  the  death  rate  is  3.079  per  cent,  per  one 
hundred  inhabitants;  Mobile,  Ala.,  3.12;  Louisville,  Ky., 
3.215  ;  Washington,  D.  C,  4.868  ;  Montreal,  3.72;  Berlin, 
2.904  ;  Dublin,  2.91  ;  and  St.  Petersburg,  5.14.  These  are  but 
a  few  of  the  many  large  cities  located  in  more  northern  climes. 

There  are  but  two  seasons  in  Costa  Rica  as  in  all  tropical 
countries :  the  rainy  season,  called  "  invierno  "  or  winter,  which 
begins  in  May  and  ends  in  December,  and  the  dry  season, 
*'  verano  "  or  summer,  which  takes  up  the  rest  of  the  year. 
As  has  already  been  stated,  there  are  no  extremes  of  cold  and 
heat  ;  the  temperature  being  mild  and  uniform  in  every  part 
of  the  country,  the  trees  never  lose  their  leaves,  and  the  various 
plants  thrive  equally  well  in  one  month  as  in  another ;  all  of 
which  tends  to  make  each  season  a  perennial  spring.  The 
seasons,  therefore,  are  only  distinguishable  by  the  rain-fall 
which,  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  occurs  during  the  months  already 
designated,  while  on  the  Atlantic  Slope  the  case  is  reversed  ; 
that  is  to  say,  on  the  Atlantic  side,  the  winter  commences  in 
December  and  ends  in  May,  leaving  the  remaining  six  months 
for  the  summer  or  dry  season. 

None  of  the  scourges  that  afflict  other  countries  at  different 
times  of  the  year  ever  trouble  Costa  Rica ;  tempests,  hurri- 
canes and  cyclones  are  entirely  unknown,  while  floods,  which 
ruin  plantations  and  villages  in  other  countries,  never  occur  in 
this  republic,  notwithstanding  the  copiousness  of  the  rains  ; 
this  is  owing  to  the  mountainous  formation   of  the   country. 

26 


The  following  table  shows  the  temperature  and  rain  fall  of 
San  Jose  for  the  years  1886,  1887  and  1888,  and  by  them 
may  be  judged  the  rest  of  the  country. 


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27 


In  the  year  1888,  the  rain  fall  in  San  Jose  was  60.841 
inches,  which  compared  with  that  of  the  United  States  shows 
that,  out  of  the  sixty-seven  principal  places  in  the  latter  coun- 
try, only  four  of  them  had  a  greater  amount  of  water  than 
the  capital  of  Costa  Rica,  while  the  others  have  had  as  much 
as  51.05,  corresponding  to  New  Orleans,  La.  ;  44.43  New 
Haven,  Conn.  ;  42.18  St.  Louis,  Mo.  ;  30.05  Detroit,  Mich.; 
and  as  little  as  9.16,  corresponding  to  San  Diego,  Gal.;  6.12 
Fort  Bridge,  Utah  ;  and  6.1 1  Fort  Garland,  Col. 


Zbc  people. 


The  natives  of  Costa  Rica  are  principally  the  descendants 
of  the  early  Spanish  settlers  and  conquerors,  who  came  to  this 
country  in  the  latter  half  of  the  sixteenth  century.  They  are 
sor^ewhat  above  their  neighboring  nations  in  the  arts  of  civili- 
zation, and  can  usually  be  depended  upon  as  peaceful,  law 
abiding  and  loyal  citizens,  and  among  them,  the  riotous  and 
revolutionary  elements  so  prevalent  in  the  Latin  States,  are 
quite  unknown. 

Costa  Ricans  are  noted  for  their  sobriety,  simplicity,  moral- 
ity and  somewhat  limited  love  of  work.  They  are  robust, 
healthy  and  long-lived. 

The  prevailing  language  is  like  that  of  all  Central  America, 
Spanish,  but  English,  German  and  French  are  spoken  by 
many,  and  one  would  have  little  difficulty  in  traveling  over  the 
country  without  even  a  rudimentary  knowledge  of  Spanish. 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  flOr.  "IRicbart 
Willafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Departmknt,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
no  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 

28 


There  are  several  increasing  colonies  scattered  over  the  coun- 
try, and  they  experience  little  vernacular  annoyance  in  trans- 
acting- business.  Indeed,  one  can  become  familiar  with  a 
working  knowledge  of  the  native  tongue  in  a  very  short  time. 

IReligton, 

The  Roman  Catholic  faith  is  the  prevailing  religion  of  the 
country,  but  the  political  institution  is  extremely  liberal  in  this, 
as  in  all  other  matters.  Persons  of  all  creeds,  and  no  creeds, 
are  received  with  hearty  good  will.  Several  Protestant 
churches  are  thriving,  and  the  greatest  harmony  exists  in  all 
communities,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  social  scale. 

public  Unstruction, 

In  Costa  Rica  education  is  making  rapid  strides.  Public 
instruction  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  National  Govern- 
ment, and  under  the  direct  supervision  of  a  special  minister. 
Primary  education  is  compulsory  and  free.  Every  resident  is 
entitled  to  the  school  privileges  and  can  either  give  or  receive 
instruction. 

The  Hon.  Dr.  Pedro  Perez  Zeledon  Avent  to  Europe  with 
the  special  mission  of  studying  the  various  systems  of  educa- 
tion, and  to  his  efforts  have  been  added  the  constant  inves- 
tigations and  personal  visits  made,  both  here  and  in  Europe, 
by  the  noted  gentleman,  the  Hon.  Dr.  Mauro  Fernandez. 

The  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  appreciated  the  great 
advantage  in  the  methods  of  elementary  tuition,  made  within 
recent  years  in  the  United  States,  and  did  me  the  honor  to 
appoint  me  a  delegate  to  study  the  American  system  of  public 
instruction  with  a  view  to  its  adoption  in  Costa  Rica.  The 
Minister  is  at  present  using  every  endeavor  to  establish  high 
grade  schools,  and  adopting,  as  far  as  possible,  the  system  in 
vogue  in  the  United  States  and  abroad. 

29 


The  facilities  for  higher  education  have  not  been  neglected^ 
and  the  country  boasts  of  a  University,  a  Young  Ladies'  High 
School,  a  well  regulated  college,  a  promising  school  of  agri- 
culture, and  in  addition  to  these  are  many  private  schools,  and 
the  Physico-Geographical  and  Meteorological  Institution,  sup- 
ported liberally  by  the  government.  The  time  is  not  very  far 
distant  when  Costa  Rica  schools  will  be  second  to  none  in  the 
world. 

IRativc  HDori9ine0, 

Costa  Rica,  when  compared  with  the  South  and  Central 
American  States,  holds  a  position  that  is  quite  unique  and 
envious  in  respect  to  its  native  Indians.  Their  numbers  are 
few  and  their  tribes  are  completely  separated  from  the  civilized 
race.  They  are  quiet  and  peaceable,  looking  upon  the  en- 
croaching civilization  with  an  air  of  resignation,  and  honoring: 
white  men  with  almost  a  spirit  of  worship. 

foreigners. 

The  foreigners  are  not  very  numerous  in  proportion  to  the 
total  population,  but  those  that  have  selected  homes  in  Costa 
Rica,  have  come  to  stay.  Every  industrious  foreign  family  is 
doing  well,  and  their  friends  are  following  them  as  rapidly  as 
possible. 

Applications  for  land  and  special  privileges  have  been  re- 
ceived from  famihes  and  colonies  now  struggling  against  the 
disadvantages  of  many  of  the  western  American  states  and 
territories  ;  more  especially  from  people  who  have  suffered 
through  the  droughts  and  other  crop  failures  in  Oklahoma, 
Dakota,  Nebraska  and  Montana.  A  representative  of  a  very 
large  colony  is  at  present  in  Costa  Rica,  selecting  land  for 
people  now  in  Oklahoma,  who  are  preparing  to  emigrate  to  a 
more  promising  land.  The  following  list,  furnished  by  the 
Bureau  of  Statistics,  of  1892,  gives  a  fair  idea  of  the  actual 
proportion  of  foreigners  : 

30 


List  of  Foreigners  Residing  in  the  Provinces  of  Costa  Rica 

IN    1892. 

Provinces  and  Comarcas. 


Central  America.  c/2<offiOci,JH 

Guatelmala 90  22  17  6  9  7  9  160 

Salvador 57  12  9  4  42  56  15  195 

Honduras 25  10  7  i  33  33  23  132 

Nicaragua     .   .    ,    .    .  122  92  24  22  446  468  128  1,302 

North  America. 

United  States  ....  103  2  12  —  2  7  78  204 

Canada      —  —  —  —  —  —  —  — 

Mexico 29  I  2  —  —  6  —  38 

South  America. 

Colombia 173  39  15  —  37  479  69  812 

Venezuela 9  i  —  —  —  —  —  10 

Ecuador 7  7  —  —  —  4  —  18 

Peru 6  I  —  —  —  —  —  7 

Bolivia i  —  —  —  —  —  —  i 

Chili 6  —  —  —  —  —  —  6 

Argentina i  —  —  — ■  —  —  —  i 

West  Indies. 

Cuba 83  22  7  II  3  8  22  156 

Hayti —  i  —  —  —  —  —  i 

Jamaica 63  6  16  5  i  2  541  734 

Porto  Rico 18  —  —  —  —  —  28  46 

Europe. 

Spain 509  74  46  44  30  93  35  831 

Portugal —  —  —  —  —  —  19  19 

France 124  12  13  i  6  21  12  189 

Germany 261  21  15  4  10  10  21  342 

Switzerland      ....    20  7  i  —  —  —  —  28 

England 162  6  11  5  7  48  7  246 

Turkey 2  i  —  —  —  —  —  3 

Austria i  i  —  —  —  —  —  2 

Denmark 17  —  —  —  —  —  —  17 

Holland 9  i  —  —  —  2  —  20 

Italy 484  38  50  20  3  15  12  622 

Belgium 16  —  —  —  —  8  2  26 

Russia 2  —  —  —  —  —  —  2 

Asia, 

China 67  17  17  15  5  26  28  175 

Hindostan 19  i  —  —  —  —  —  20 

Africa 12  —  —  —  —  —  2  14 

Oceanica 18  —  —  —  —  —  —  iS 

Total 2,156  395  262  138  634  1,293  I1O51  6,289 

31 


The  inexhaustable  fertility  of  Costa  Rican  soil  and  the 
extremely  favorable  climate,  that  can  be  depended  upon  as 
constant,  will  for  a  long  time  make  agriculture  the  principal 
occupation.  It  is,  indeed,  a  coffee-growing  country,  but  as 
the  fields  are  worked,  hundreds  of  other  industries,  which 
are  accessory  to  agriculture,  must  also  thrive.  The  ground 
is  tilled,  and  the  crops  gathered  in  the  most  primitive  way- 
Very  few  labor-saving  machines  have  been  introduced.  The 
following  tables  show  the  present  industries  and  their  in- 
creased number  since  1883  : 

INDUSTRIES    IN  THE    REPUBLIC, 

FROM    1883   TO   1893. 

Province  of  San  Jose. 

Factories  and  Shops.     1883.  i888.  1890.  1892. 

Foundries 2  2  2  2 

Blacksmith    Shop  ....  18  25  27  25 

Gunsmiths 2  3  3  3 

Saw-mills 14  16  17  16 

Soap   Factories 3  5  5  5 

Printing 4  8  8  9 

Brick-yards 15  21  22  22 

Limekilns 3  7  8  7 

Sugar-mills 442  455  457  455 

Ice    Houses i  2  2  2 

Coffee-mills 70  80  82  80 

Marble-yards i  i  i  i 

Sculpturing- i  i  i  i           , 

Carpenter  Shoi)s    ....  28  31  32  31 

Breweries i  2  4  3 

Distilleries i  i  i  i 

Tailoring 25  25  26  25 

Tanneries 8  9  9  9 

Shoe    Factories 32  38  39  38 

Barber  Shops 13  17  18  17 

Saddle-makers ^  11  n  n 

Bakeries 20  22  21  22 

Drug-Stores .10  15  16  15 

Dyeing 3  5  5  5 

32 


Province  of  San  Jose — Continued. 

Candle  Factories    ....  25  5  5  5 

Photographers i  2  3  3 

Hat  Factories 2  o  o  o 

Bookbinderies i  3  4  4 

Watchmakers 5  6  6  7 

Silversmiths 3  4  4  4 

Confectioneries o  5  5  5 

Flour-mills o  i  i  i 

Silk-mills o  i  o  o 

Cartridge    Factories  .    .    .  o  i  i  i 

'Fine"    Brick-yards     .    .  o  2  o  o 

Furniture-makers  .    .    .    .  o  5  5  5 

Lithographing o  o  o  o 

Total 761  S36  851  842 

Province  of  Heredia. 

Factories  and  Shops.  1883.  1888.  1890.  1892. 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....  6  7  7  7 

Gunsmiths i  —  — -  — 

Saw-mills 8  6  6  6 

Soap  Factories i  i  i  i 

Brickyards      i  4  5  4 

Limekilns 5  —  —  i 

Coffee-mills 7  85  85  85 

Sugar-mills 54  59  59  59 

Carpenter  Shops    ....  14  37  37  37 

Tailoring 16  17  17  17 

Tanneries 9  5  5  5 

Shoe  Shops 13  16  16  r6 

Barbershops 7  12  12  12 

Bakeries      5  3  3  3 

Drug  Stores 7  9  9  9 

Dyeing i  2  2  2 

Candle-makers 5  —  —  — 

Watchmakers 2  3  3  3 

Silversmith 5  2  2  2 

Silk-mills —  i  i  — 

Furniture-makers  ....  —  i  i  i 

Saddle-makers —  i  i  r 

Confectioneries —  i  .1  i 

Total 267  272  273  272 

2,^ 


Province  of   Alajuela. 

Factories  and  Shops.     18S3.  1888. 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....11  11 

Gunsmiths i  i 

Saw-mills 35  35 

Printing' i  i 

Brick-yards 29  29 

Limekilns .11  12 

Coffee-mills 69  75 

Sugar-mills 393  419 

Carpenter  Shojis   ....     20  28 

Tailoring .     13  13 

Tanneries 5  5 

Shoe  Shops 13  17 

Barber   Shops 6  9 

Saddle-makers 8  8 

Bakeries 4  7 

Drug   Stores 16  16 

Dyeing i  5 

Candle-makers 10  — 

Watch-makers    .....       3  4 

Confectioneries —  i 

Furniture-makers   ....     —  2 

Sculpturing —  i 

Total 651  703         699         700 

COMARCA     OF    LiMON. 

Factories  and  Shops.      1S83. 

Founderies      i 

Saw-mills 2 

Carpenter  Shops     ....       2 

Tailoring 2 

Tanneries    .......       3 

Shoe  Shops 2 

Barber  Shops i 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....    — 

Bakeries — 

Drug  Stores — 

Sugar  Machinery,   etc  .    .     — 

Total  ......       13  20           19           20 

34 


1890. 

1892. 

12 

II 

I 

I 

35 

35 

I 

I 

29 

29 

12 

12 

76 

75 

415 

418 

28 

28 

13 

13 

5 

5 

18 

17 

9 

9 

8 

8 

7 

7 

15 

16 

5 

5 

5 

5 

I 

I 

2 

2 

I 

I 

1888. 

1890. 

1892. 

I 

I 

I 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

I 

I 

I 

3 

0 

3 

2 

2 

2 

I 

I 

2 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

— 

— 

Province  of  Guanacaste 

Factories  and  Shops.  1883.  1888. 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....  14  9 

Gunsmiths i  i 

Brick-yards 17  18 

Limekilns 3  14 

Sugar-mills 70  72 

Carpenter  Shops    ....  22  19 

Tailoring 26  14 

Tanneries 17  16 

Shoe  Shops 16  12 

Barber  Shops 4  4 

Saddle-makers 4  4 

Bakeries      22  2 

Drug  Stores 3  4 

Dyeing i  i 

Silversmiths 6  4 

Candle  Factories    ....  40  — 

Saw-mills 3  4 

Total 269  188 

COMARCA    OF    PUNTARENAS. 

Factories  and  Shops.  1883.  1888. 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....  5  9 

Gunsmiths 2  2 

Saw-mills i  •     i 

Brick-yards i  2 

Limekilns i  i 

Ice  Houses i  i 

Coffee-mills 7  — 

Sugar-mills 11  19 

Carpenter  Shops    ....  8  15 

Tailoring 11  7 

Tanneries i  — 

Shoe  Factories 6  8 

Barber  Shops          ....  2  6 

Bakeries       3  7 

Drug  Stores 5  5 

Candle  Factories    ....  i  — 

Silversmiths 3  3 

Furniture  makers  ....  —  2 

Dyeing    ........  —  i 

Total 69  89            89            89 

35 


1890. 

1892. 

9 

9 

I 

I 

18 

18 

4 

3 

72 

92 

19 

19 

14 

14 

16 

16 

12 

12 

4 

4 

4 

4 

2 

2 

4 

4 

I 

I 

4 

4 

4 

4 

188 

207 

1890. 

1892. 

9 

9 

2 

2 

I 

r 

2 

2 

I 

I 

I 

I 

19 

19 

15 

15 

7 

7 

8 

8 

6 

6 

7 

7 

5 

5 

3 

3 

2 

2 

I 

I 

Province  of  Cartago. 

Factories  and  Shops.      1883.  1888.  1890.  1892. 

Blacksmith  Shops  ....  4  5  5  5 

Saw-mills 9  9  9  9 

Printing 2  i  i  — 

Brick-yards 54  34  34  34 

Limekilns 6  10  10  10 

Coffee-mills i  16  16  16 

Sugar-mills      41  55  55  55 

Carpenter  Shops    ....  5  8  8  8 

Breweries i  i  i  i 

Tailoring 4  10  10  10 

Tanneries 7  3  3  3 

Shoe  Factories 7  9  9  9 

Barber   Shops 5  3  3  3 

Saddle-makers 2  5  5  5 

Bakeries 2  3  3  3 

Drug-Stores 8  8  8  8 

Dyeing i  o  o  o 

Candle-makers 5  —  —  — 

Watchmakers 3  4  4  4 

Silversmiths 3  4  4  4 

Soap   Factories —  i  i  i 

Sculpturing —  i  i  i 

P'urniture-makers  ....  —  3  3  3 

P'oundries —  —  —  i 

Total 169  193  193  193 

Zhc  (Bovcrnmcnt, 

Since  the  proclamation  issued  in  Guatemala  on  the  memor- 
able 15th  of  September,  1821,  declaring  the  absolute  inde- 
pendence of  Central  America,  Costa  Rica  has  remained  a  rep- 
resentative Republic.  The  present  Constitution  was  issued  on 
the  7th  of  December,  1871.  It  guarantees  notability  of  citi- 
zens and  equality  before  the  law.  It  asserts  the  right  to  hold 
property,  permits  liberty  of  thought,  press  and  speech.  The 
enjoyment  of  all  these  and  other  civil  rights  applies  to  foreign- 
ers of  all  nations  as  Avell  as  the  Costa  Ricans.  The  whole 
Government  is  constructed  more  or  less  accurately,  on  the 
model  of  the  United  States. 

36 


The  political  struggles  are  at  times  threatened  with  corrup- 
tion, and  finances  are  often  as  badly  handled  as  by  their  more 
advanced  comtemporaries — the  New  York  and  Chicago  alder- 
men. Such  sins,  however,  have  prevailed  everywhere,  and 
are  not  confined  to  Costa  Rica  alone.  The  elections  are  on 
the  whole  characterized  by  calmness.  There  are  no  clearly- 
defined  opposing  parties,  hence  the  conflict  is  usually  more 
personal,  but  the  terminations  are  quiet  and  peacefiil. 
^  An  important  item  to  foreigners  is  Article  1 2  of  the  Consti- 
tution, which  says:  "  Foreigners  enjoy  within  the  Territory  of 
the  Nation  all  the  civil  rights  of  the  citizen.  They  can  practice 
industries  and  conduct  their  business,  possess  real  estate,  buy 
and  sell  it,  navigate  along  the  coasts  or  in  the  rivers,  practice 
their  religion,  serve  as  witnesses,  and  marry  according  to  law. 
They  are  not  obliged  to  become  naturahzed,  or  to  pay  un- 
reasonable contributions." 

These  privileges  have  always  been  faithfully  granted.  The 
Government  is  ever  ready  to  support -foreign  efforts  to  de- 
velop the  country,  and  takes  a  warm  interest  in  all  new  ven- 
tures introduced  with  honest  objects. 

©ccupattons. 

The  individual  trades,  professions  and  numerous  occupations 
are  given  in  the  table  below.  The  significant  fact  about  this 
table  is  the  extremely  small  number  of  skilled  workmen  in 
proportion  to  the  total  population.  Even  many  workmen  here 
■enumerated  are  unskilled  and  incapable.  The  professional 
men,  particularly  the  doctors,  are  entirely  insufficient.  There 
is  about  one  doctor  to  8,000  people,  while  in  the  United 
States  we  have  one  to  every  800  of  the  population. 

This  is  perhaps  an  excellent  argument  in  favor  of  the  gen- 
eral healthfulness  of  the  country,  but  more  skilled  medical 
men  would  find  a  field  for  really  good  scientific  practice. 
There  is  here,  indeed,  a  grand  opportunity  for  Americans,  all 

3^ 


of  whom  the  natives  specially  admire.  Energetic  tradesmen 
and  scientific  workingmen  with  a  small  capital  are  certain  to 
find  good  openings,  and  lucrative  practices  are  open  to  bright 
men  of  all  professions. 

Occupations. 
.     .  44     Leather-dressers 


Apothecaries   .... 

Architects 

Bachelors  of  Arts    .    . 

Bakers 

Barbers 

Beltmakers 

Bookbinders    .... 

Brewers 

Butchers 

Carpenters  and  Cabi- 
netmakers   .... 

Cartdrivers 

Cigarmakers  (males  38, 
females,   488)  .    .    . 

Clergymen 

Clerks,  etc 

Coachmen 

Confectionists  and  Pas- 
try Cooks     .... 

Cooks  (males  30,  fe- 
males 3,917)    .    .    • 

Day  laborers    .... 

Dentists 

Divers 

Doctors 

Dyers 

Engineers 

Farmers  and  landhold- 
ers     

Governesses     .... 

Gunsmiths 

Hatmakers  (males  219, 
females   292)    .    .    . 

Horticulturists     .    .    . 

Hotelkeepers       .    .    . 

Jewelers 

Lawyers 


5 
193 
66 
67 
18 
10 

5 
268 

871 
1,924 

526 
119 

703 
29 

151 

3.947 
18,278 

7 
20 

25 

7 

13 

7,479 

360 

10 

511 

8 
42 
12 
78 


Linen  ironers  . 
Marble-cutters 
Masons  and   stonecut 

ters   .... 
Matmakers  .    . 
M  attress-  mak  ers 
Mechanics    .    . 
Merchants,  commission 

men  and  bankers 
Milliners  .... 
Mine-owners   .    . 
Muleteers     .    . 
IVfusicians     .    . 
Nurses  .    . 
Painters    .... 
Photographers 
Preceptors   .    . 
Printers    ... 
Public  employes 
Sailors  .... 
Sculptors      .    .    . 
Seamstresses   . 
Servants    (males 

females  112.  . 
Shoemakers  .  . 
Silversmiths     .    . 

Smiths 

Soapmakers  (males 

females  112)  . 
Soldiers  in  service 
Students  .... 
Surveyors  .  .  . 
Tailors  .... 
Tinners  .... 
Washerwomen  . 
Woodcutters    .    . 


58 


30, 


5r 

890 

427 

77 
12 
iz 

660 

19 

5 

123 

2ir 

55 

229 

6 

366- 

46 

820 

70 

4 

5.334 

370 

358 

22 

5 

142 

505 

7.174 

28 

415 
22 

5.300 
214- 


38 


Hmusemente* 

Costa  Ricans  have  made  it  possible  to  mingle  work  and 
pleasure  in  the  most  delightful  way.  In  the  cities,  amusement 
is  often  considered  more  important  than  business,  and'there 
the  means  of  pleasurable  recreation  are  abundant.  In  San 
Jose  has  been  constructed  a  modern  theater  that  is  not 
equaled  in  Central  America,  and  its  grandeur  in  some  respects 
rivals  New  York  theaters.  Many  other  theaters  and  places 
of  amusement  are  scattered  over  the  country  wherever 
there  is  a  sufficient  population  to  support  them.  The  natives 
are  also  patrons  of  fine  art,  and  love  music  above  all.  There 
is  a  piano  in  nearly  every  well-regulated  home,  and  great 
numbers  gather  daily  in  the  parks  to  listen  to  excellent  music 
given  by  the  military  bands.  There  is,  indeed,  an  air  of  music, 
a  vein  of  poetry,  an  element  of  romance  and  an  effervescence  of 
sentiment  wherever  young  people  assemble,  and  the  dark-eyed 
maidens  are  simply  irresistable. 


Hbeans  of  Communicatfon/ 

Bvcnues  of  tTraneportatton  an^  approximate 

S^i0tancc0. 

From  San  Jose  to  115  points  in  Costa  Rica. 

SAN   JOSE. 

Escazu 

Santa  Ana 

Pacaca 

Chile 

San  Pablo 

Santiago  del  Puriscal 

Candelarita 

La  Vibora 

Sapotal 


IILES. 

ROADS. 

AYz 

Cart  road 

VA 

It         (( 

14 

((                  (C 

18 

((          i( 

30 

Saddle  road 

24 

Cart  road 

30 

Saddle  road 

27 

((          >t 

27 

«          «i 

*For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  ilDr,  1Ricbar& 
IDfllafcanca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing-  Co., 
J 10  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 

39 


Avenues  of  Transportation  and  Approximate 
Distances —  Continued. 


SAN   JOSE. 

MILES. 

ROADS. 

Curridabat 

3 

Railroad  and  cart  road' 

Guadalupe 

3 

Cart  road 

San  Vicente 

3 

U                  11 

San  Isidro 

6 

U               n 

San  Jeronimo 

1% 

It            (1 

La  Palma 

12 

"          " 

La  Laguna 

15 

"        '« 

La  Boca  del  Infierno 

i8 

"          " 

Carrillo 

25J^ 

u                 <.<. 

Limon 

98 

Railroad 

Boca  del  Toro 

160 

Navigation  from  Limon 

Alajuelita 

3 

Cart  road 

Desamparados 

3 

"         " 

Tres  Rios 

7 

Railroad  and  cart  road 

Cartago 

12 

(1                            1  c                      >  1 

San  Miguel 

4X 

Cart  road 

San  Cristobal 

12 

"         " 

Los  Frailes 

18 

Saddle  road 

Las  Cruces 

18 

"          " 

Bustamante 

21 

U                     <l 

San  Pablo  Dota 

27 

Cart  road 

San  Marcos 

30 

"         " 

Santa  Maria 

36 

U                  1< 

Nueva  Santa  Maria 

60 

Saddle  road 

Faquita 

75- 

u 

Carrala 

123 

t(                 u 

Boruca 

120 

1(             << 

Buenos  Aires 

120   . 

11             11 

Aserri 

6 

Cart  road 

Tabarcia 

9 

U                  11 

San  fgnacio 

12 

Saddle  road 

Guaitil 

18 

11          ,1 

Sabanilla  de  Aserri 

24 

" 

Pirris  de  Aserri 

30 

"          " 

La  Laguna  de  Aserri 

lo;^ 

"     .     " 

Rosario 

12 

11          1. 

Cangrejal 

24 

Cart  road 

Cartago 

12 

Railroad  and  cart  roacf 

Paraiso 

i6>^ 

11 

Juan  Vinas 

27 

"               "             " 

Orosi 

18 

Cart  road 

Agua  Caliente 

15 

Tramway  and  cart  roacf. 

Guatuzo 

25^^ 

Cart  road 

Tucurrique 

36 

"         " 

Chirripo 

42 

Saddle  road 

San  Miguel 

27 

11          11 

Turrialba 

33 

Cart  road 

Cot 

18 

11 

San  Cristobal 

24 

"         " 

Santo  Domingo 

3>^ 

Railroad  and  cart  roa<f- 

Heredia 

6 

"               ''             " 

San  Joaquin 

9 

.1               11             11 

40 


Avenues  of  Transportation  and  Approximate 
Distances —  Continued. 


SAN   JOSE. 

Villa  Barba 

Carrizal 

Tambor 

Vara  Blanca 

San  Miguel 

San  Ramon 

La  Virgen 

Chilamate 

Muelle  de  Sarapique 

Hacienda  Vieja 

Trinidad 

Villa  Santa  Barbarra 

Alajuela 

San  Pedro  de  la  Calabaza 

Sabanilla 

San  Rafael 

Los  ojos  de  agua 

Grecia 

San  Roque 

Los  Angeles 

San  Jeronimo 

La  Barranca 

Naranjo 

Sarcero 

Tapezco 

Zapote 

Buena  Vista 

La  Cuesta  Vieja 

Peje 

Muelle  de  San  Carlos 

Estero  Grande 

Boca  de  San  Carlos 

Boca  del  Rio  Frio  (de  Peje) 

Sarchi 

Sahinos 

Atenas 

San  Mateo 

Santo  Domingo 

Esparta 

Puntarenas 

Bebedero 

Las  Caiias 

Bagaces 

Liberia 

La  Cruz  (Front.  Nicaragua) 

Filadelfia 

Palmira 

Belen 

Santa  Cruz 

Veintisiete  de  Abril 

Tempate 

Santa  Rosa 

J^icoya 


MILES. 

9 

12 
15 
30 
42 

51 

54 
60 
66 
72 
III 
12 
12 
18 
18 
19^4 
18 
24 
27 
27 

30 
25^2 
33 
40K 

45 
48 

54 
60 
69 

7^ 


30 

42 

24 

36 

39 

47 

60 

132 

139 

147 

165 

201 

177 

180 

183 
198 
209 
213 
220 
213 


roads. 
Cart  road 


Saddle  road 


Navigation 

Cart  road 

Railroad  and  cart  road 

Cart  road 


Saddle  road 
Navigation 

Saddle  road 
Cart  road 


Railroad  and  cart  road 

Navigation 

Cart  road 


Saddle  road 
Cart  road 


41 


IRailroabs, 

The  railway  system  of  Costa  Rica  is  being  rapidly  im- 
proved, and  encouraged  by  the  Government,  All  the  lines 
will  be  the  property  of  the  State  at  the  expiration  of  the  time 
of  each  charter  grant — 99  years.  The  principal  road  now 
operating  is  the  Atlantic  Railroad,  of  which  the  Government 
owns  one-third  of  the  stock  ;  an  English  syndicate,  which  now 
operates  the  road,  controls  the  balance. 

The  tracks  of  this  road  extend  from  the  port  of  Limon  on 
the  Atlantic,  westerly  to  Alajuela — a  distance  of  147^  miles. 
It  has  a  branch  which  starts  from  a  point  about  forty  miles 
west  of  Port  Limon,  extends  southward,  and  then  westward 
until  it  reaches  Carrillo,  a  place  at  the  foot  of  the  Irazu 
Mountain. 

The  Pacific  Railroad  starts  from  Puntarenas  on  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  extends  eastward  to  the  city  of  Esparta  at  the 
foot  of  the  Aguacate  Mountains,  a  distance  of  about  fourteen 
miles.  This  is  to  be  extended  to  Alajuela  (30  miles). 
Here  the  two  roads  will  meet,  forming  a  complete  Trans-Costa 
Rican  railroad  with  many  new,  and  nearly  all  modern  facilities. 
This  will,  indeed,  be  a  most  beautiful '  and  picturesque  line,, 
winding  among  towering  mountains,  and  ploughing  through 
the  dense,  tropical  forests,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  in 
less  than  twenty-four  hours. 

Alajuela  is  already  connected  with  Heredia,  which  is  also 
connected  with  Cartago,  by  means  of  a  railroad  spread 
over  a  distance  of  twenty-seven  miles.  This  passes  through 
San  Jose,  the  capital  of  the  country,  and  is  an  important  part 
of  the  general  system. 

Many  new  roads  and  branches  have  been  proposed,  some 
of  which  will  be  ready  in  a  few  years.  One  will  have  its 
tracks  extending  from  a  point  where  the  San  Jose  &  Carrillo 
Railroad  crosses  the  Jimenez  River  and  the  Rio  Frio,  which 
empties  into  the  San  Juan  River.     There  has  been  a  long  felt 

42 


want  of  prompt  communication  between  Port  Limon  and  the 
upper  part  of  the  San  Juan  country,  and  this  railroad  will 
furnish  it.  The  far-reaching  value  of  the  road  can  hardly  be 
appreciated  by  those  not  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
enormous  extent  and  unlimited  fertility  of  the  land,  previously 
neglected  because  of  imperfect  transportation.  The  road, 
further  more,  establishes  every  communication  with  the  neigh- 
boring Republic  Nicaragua. 

Aside  from  the  railroads  there  are,  in  Costa  Rica,  very  easy 
means  of  communication  by  way  of  paths,  wagon  roads  and 
water  ways.  The  following  table  shows  the  avenues  of  trans- 
portation by  land,  and  a  glance  at  the  map  will  at  once,  indi- 
cate the  many  convenient  water  routes  : 

ITele^rapb  System. 

All  centers  of  population  in  the  Republic  are  connected  by 
wire  with  each  other,  and  joined  to  the  neighboring  nations 
and  the  world  in  general  by  a  most  complete  telegraph  system. 
Costa  Rica  was  first  among  Central  American  countries  to  have 
a  telegraph  service,  and  now  has  the  cheapest  rates  ;  a  rate 
which  is  less  than  the  prevailing  price  of  wire  service  in  the 
United  States.  Only  twenty  cents  is  charged  for  a  message 
sent  to  any  part  of  Central  America.  We  append  here  a  list 
■of  the  principal  telegraph  offices. 


TELEGRAPH     OFFICES. 


San  Jose 

Barba 

Liberia 

Asserri 

Santo  Domingo 

Bebedero 

Desamparados 

San  Antonio  de  Belen 

Bagaces 

Escasu 

Alajuelita 

Guasimal 

Santa  Ana 

Grecia 

La  Palma 

Pacaca 

Naranjo 

Las  Canas 

Puriscal 

San  Ramon 

Santa  Cruz 

Cartago 

Palmares 

Filadelfia 

Juan  Vinas 

Atenas 

Nicoya 

Paraiso 

San  Mateo 

La  Cruz 

La  Union 

Puntarenas 

San  Rafael 

Heredia 

Esparta 

Santa  Bai-bara 

43 


The  capital — San  Jose — and  the  principal  cities,  have  now 
a  well-estabUshed  telephone  service.  The  Government  entered 
into  a  contract  with  an  American  company  and  its  extensioa 
throughout  the  whole  Republic  will  soon  be  realized. 

^be  postal  Service. 

Mails. 

The  mail  service  of  the  Republic  is  very  good.  Costa  Rica 
is  a  member  of  the  Universal  Postal  Union,  and  in  1890,. 
there  was  completed  a  system  of  parcel  delivery  through  the 
mails  to  the  United  States,  which  has  become  a  very  impor- 
tant aid  to  commerce,  and  a  most  valuable  convenience  to 
citizens  of  both  countries.  The  local  service  is  modern  and 
effective,  and  the  foreign  mails  are  sent  and  received  as  oftea 
as  the  present  steamship  lines  call. 

There  are  nearly  lOO  post  offices  scattered  over  the  Repub- 
lic which  in  the  year  1890-91  handled  2,101,428  pieces. 
Below  is  a  list  of  the  most  important  offices  : 

LOCAL   POST   OFFICES. 

Old  Harbor 

San  Bernardo 

Terrabr. 

Boruca 

Esparta 

La  Union 

Sta  Maria  Dota 

Jimenez 

Reventazon 

Siquirres 

Matina 

Palmares 

San  Mateo 

Desmonte 

La  Cruz 

San  Joaquin 

Paraiso 

The  Government  is  using  every  reasonable  endeavor  to 
improve  the  means  of  communication,  but  the  foregoing 
chapter  clearly  shows  that  the  system  is  already  well  estab- 
lished;  and  Costa  Rica  can  easily  boast  of  its  railroads,  tele- 
graphs, telephones  and  mails. 

44 


San  Jose 

Puntarenas 

Escazu 

Atenas 

Asserri 

San  Ramon 

San  Isidro 

Naranjo 

Puriscal 

Sai.  Carlos 

Alajuela 

Ouemados 

Guaytil 

Carrillo 

Juan  Vinas 

Limon 

Santo  Domingo 

Bebedero 

Santa  Barbara 

Liberia 

San  Rafael 

Las  Canas 

San  Antonio 

Sardinal 

Cartago 

Rivas 

Heredia 

Sta  Cruz 

Alajuela 

Nicoya 

Grecia 

Humo 

San  Pedro 

Ballena 

Zbc  1Inteiv®ceantc  Canals  of  tbe  jTuturc, 

The  Costa  Rica-Nicaragua  and  the  Panama  Canals  are 
such  important  problems  that  the  nations  of  the  earth  must, 
sooner  or  later,  combine  in  determined  efforts  to  complete 
them.  Just  at  present  the  Nicaragua  is  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
finished  at  an  early  date.  All  Costa  Ricans  hope  for  its  suc- 
cessful construction  by  Americans  and  with  an  American  capi- 
tal, for  they  are  bitterly  opposed  to  the  grasping  methods  of 
the  European  nations.  An  intra-continental  communication 
between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans  is  of  such  boundless 
importance  to  the  world,  that  either  one  or  both  of  these  canals 
is  an  absolute  necessity. 

Costa  Rica,  occupying  almost  exactly  the  territory  between 
the  two  canals,  with  its  shores  washed  by  the  two  great  oceans, 
will  ere  long  reap  the  benefit  of  such  an  unparalleled  natural 
position;  this  will  be  the  final  event  which  shall  place  Costa 
Rica  among  the  most  privileged  of  nations,  and  will  make  of 
her  the  "  Gem  of  American  Republics." 


Commerce^ 

The  onward  march  of  commerce  is  far  in  advance  of  the 
increasing  population.  In  1850  the  value  of  exportations  and 
importations  was  about  equal,  and  were  each  figured  at  about 
a  million  dollars.  In  1893  Costa  Rica  exported  products  to 
the  value  of  nearly  ten  million  dollars  and  imported  nearly 
six  million  dollars  worth  of  goods.  To  understand  the 
phenomenal  development  of  commerce  since  1883,  we  offer 
the  following  table  which  tells  its  own  story. 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  Sdv.  1RiCbar^ 
\9tIIafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  1895: 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelnis  Lithographing  Co., 
110  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 

45 


Surplus 

Surplus 

Years. 

Exportation. 

Importation. 

of 
Exportation. 

of 
Importation. 

1884 

$3, 745-400 

$3,521,900 

$223,500 

1885 

2,535,500 

3,660,900 

$1,125,400 

■1886 

2,257,600 

3,537,600 

1,280,000 

ii887 

4,689,100 

5,601,200 

912,100 

1888 

4,052,300 

5,201,900 

1,149,600 

1889 

4,612,800 

6,306,400 

1,693,600 

1890 

6,664,700 

6,615,400 

49,300 

1891 

6,116,800 

8,351,000 

2,234,200 

1892 

4,725,900 

53,89,700 

663,800 

1893 

4,294,200 

5,833,400 

1,539,200 

$43,694,300      $54,019,400       $272,800    $10,597,900 

The  trade,  however,  has  been  mostly  with  Europe.  It  be- 
hooves American  merchants  to  study  this  question  carefully. 
It  can  and  must  be  changed  very  soon,  because  the  maxim 
"America  for  Americans"  is  becoming  more  and  more  a 
deep  seated  sentiment,  and  furthermore,  it  is  not  reasonable 
that  merchants  should  send  to  the  Old  World  for  goods,  and 
await  their  arrival  for  a  period  of  months,  when  the  American 
markets  are  more  easy  of  access,  while  the  means  of  com- 
munication are  daily  improving.  The  principal  obstacle  to 
American  trade  has  been  the  higher  rate  of  interest,  shorter 
terms  of  credit  and  badly  packed  goods. 

The  Europeans  offer  greater  inducements  to  secure  the  busi- 
ness by  making  special  goods  for  Spanish  American  markets, 
and  keeping  representatives  moving  over  the  territory  ;  matters 
which  merchants  of  the  United  States  have  neglected. 

Imported  and  Exported. — The  primitive  condition  of 
industry  in  Costa  Rica  is  clearly  shown  by  the  following  table, 
indicating  the  extensive  importation  of  articles,  most  of  which 
actually  thrive  better  in  Costa  Rica,  when  properly  cultivated, 
than  elsewhere.  It  would  take  but  a  few  years  of  scientific 
study  and  experiment  to  not  only  cultivate  enough  of  these 
articles  for  the  home  market,  but  for  profitable  exportation. 

46 


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IRatee  of  jexcbange. 

In  the  following  table  of  exchange  rates  it  will  be  seen  that 
there  has  been  a  great  and  steady  increase  in  recent  years. 
This  is  due  to  the  increased  volume  of  importation  and  the 
payments  on  the  national  debt.  It  is,  however,  extremely 
favorable  for  intending  settlers,  since  an  American  dollar  in 
gold  is  worth  at  present  about  two  and  a  half  in  the  native 
currency. 


Exchange  on  London  at  Ninety  Days'   Sight. 


Years. 

1869 

1870 
1871 
1872 

1873 
1874 

1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1S79 


I 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 


Maximum 

Rate 

Minimum  Rate 

of  Exchange. 

of  Exchange. 

Average  Rate 

10 

per  cent. 

5  per  cent. 

7  per  cent 

15 

' ' 

5  .  " 

9   " 

10 

1  ( 

7 

8 

14 

" 

8 

12 

14 

" 

8 

II    " 

15 

i  i 

9 

12    " 

15 

" 

8 

12 

18 

" 

12    " 

15    " 

10 

" 

5 

8 

12 

" 

5-  " 

9 

16 

' ' 

5   " 

12   " 

19 

' ' 

12   " 

15 

19 

' ' 

^sV^  " 

17 

24 

<  ( 

10 

18 

24 

1  < 

10 

17   " 

25 

t  ( 

9 

18 

35 

' ' 

24  " 

30 

54 

' ' 

34  " 

42   " 

36 

' ' 

29 

33   " 

52 

' ' 

40 

41   " 

56 

' ' 

44  " 

51   " 

58 

( ( 

42 

51 

65 

" 

50 

58   " 

1x6 

' ' 

64  " 

95   " 

156 

' ' 

96  " 

124   " 

49 


National  Bank 

Value  of 

Value  of 

Average 

Rate 

Years.     Paper  Money 

Importation 

Exportation 

in 

Issued. 

in  Gold. 

in  Gold. 

Exchange. 

1883  . 

$474,332 

$2,166,000 

$2,163,700 

17  per  cent. 

1884  . 

752,828 

3,521,900 

3,745,400 

18 

1885  . 

1,365,178 

3,660,900 

2,535-500 

30 

1886  . 

1,295,866 

3,537,600 

2,257,600 

42 

1887  . 

2,059,927 

5,601,200 

4,689,100 

33        ' 

1888  . 

2,462,844 

5,201,900 

4,052,300 

41 

1889  . 

2,999,438 

6,306,400 

4,612,800 

51 

1890  . 

3,832,452 

6,615,400 

6,664,700 

51 

1891   . 

4,074,728 

8,351,000 

6,116,800 

58        ' 

1892  . 

3,366,686 

5,389,700 

4,725,900 

95        ' 

1893  . 

4,186,267 

5,833,400 

4,294,200 

124       ' 

Batural  IResources/ 

probuctlone^ 

The  different  altitudes  of  land  and  the  consequent  variety 
of  temperature,  the  numerous  rivers,  the  richness  of  the  soil, 
the  abundance  of  rain  and  sunshine,  and  the  short  distance 
that  separates  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  all  contribute 
to  the  extraordinary  diversity  of  the  vegetable  products  found 
in  Costa  Rica.  Here,  growing  with  equal  facility,  are  found 
the  fruits  and  the  plants  of  both  the  Torrid  and  Temperate 
Zones. 

The  mineral  wealth  that  the  country  contains  is  so  remark- 
able, the  first  discoverers  of  this  territory  bestowed  upon  it 
the  name  Costa  Rica  (Rich  Coast),  because  of  the  rich  de- 
posits of  mineral  matter  found  there.  Equally  noticeable  are 
its  vast  fauna,  the  multitude  of  wild  game,  and  the  countless 
birds  of  rare  plumage  and  melodious  song. 

The  species  of  birds  already  known  amount  to  692,  but  the 
names  of  these,  and  most  of  the  animals,  we  shall  omit  for 
want  of  space  in  which  to  insert  so  numerous  a  list. 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  ttRv.  fRfcbarb 
IPillafranca,  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Esposition  until  December  31,  1895; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
iTo  Filth  Ave.,  New  York. 


50 


The  following  tables  indicate  the  mi|lferal  diAj5.  ^lanr^-y^^alth 
of  the  country.  </"  *        '  ^-^    ^■^' 

nDineral0»       ^.^ 


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51 


There  are  also  found  abundant  deposits  of  quartz  crystal  in 
San  Ramon ;  coal  in  Puriscal,  Desamparados,  Pacuare  and 
Talamanca  ;  alabaster  and  alabastrita  in  Cartago  ;  granite,  fine 
and  ordinary,  in  Cartago  and  San  Ramon  ;  white  marble  in 
San  Ramon,  San  Marcos  and  San  Lucas ;  fine  and  ordinary 
clay  in  Cartago,  Alajuela,  San  Marcos  and  Mora ;  alum  in 
Cartago ;  fine  and  ordinary  slate  in  Mora,  and  jasper  in  San 
Marcos.  Many  other  minerals  like  silex,  onyx,  tophus,  plas- 
ter, lapidary  stone,  sulphur,  mercury,  pumice  stone,  tripoli 
earth,  ochres,  fine  and  ordinary,  etc.,  have  also  been  dis- 
covered in  different  sections  of  the  country. 

The  mining  industry  of  Costa  Rica  is  lying  dormant,  only 
for  the  want  of  willing  hands  to  awaken  it  into  living,  lux- 
urious existence.  It  is  even  now  struggling  through  all  sorts 
of  difficulties,  for  the  reasons  given  in  all  industries — ^want  of 
labor,  proper  machinery,  etc.  It  needs  only  these,  and 
courage  to  resume  the  rank  held  by  the  country  in  this  respect 
when  it  was  discovered  by  Christopher  Columbus.  **  Up  to 
1890,  the  gold  mines  of  Aguacate  alone  had  yielded  about 
$7,000,000." 

flDincral  Springs. 

Almost  everywhere  throughout  the  country  mineral  and 
thermal  waters  are  found.  The  most  celebrated  are  those  of 
Agua  Caliente,  about  five  miles  from  the  city  of  Cartago,  for 
the  exploration  of  which  a  stock  company  has  been  formed 
under  the  name  of  "  Bella-Vista  Company."  This  society  has 
has  erected  a  magnificent  building,  which  fills  all  the  require- 
ments of  a  bathing  establishment  responding  to  modern  exi- 
gencies, and  of  a  hotel  affording  all  desirable  comforts  to  in- 
valids or  travelers.  The  analysis  of  the  water  of  Agua 
CaHente  made  by  the  chemist,  Dr.  C.  F.  Chandler,  of 
Columbia  College,  New  York,  in  1887,  gave  the  following 
results : 


52 


Sodium  chloride    . 

Bicarb,  lithium 
sodium 
magnesium 
calcium 
barium 
strontium 
iron  .    .    . 
copper 
manganese 

Sulphate  potassium 
"  sodium    . 

Phosphate  sodium 

Biborate         ' ' 

Arsenite         " 

Alumina  " 

Silica  " 

Organic  matter 


61,2922 

Traces 

15.1568 

13.0165 

56.0627 

0.2624 

Traces 

1.3588 

Traces 

Traces 

2.5775 
37-7258 
0.1 108 
1.7669 
Traces 
0.1 166 

3-6157 
Traces 


Total 193.0627 

(Signed)     C.  F.  Chandler,  Ph.  D. 

The  figures  given  represent  grains,  and  the  analysis  was 
made  from  the  quantity  of  water  to  a  gallon  of  the  United 
States,  which  contains  231  cubic  inches.  There  exist  mhieral 
springs  in  many  other  localities.  Those  most  resembling 
Agua  Caliente  are  those  of  Orosi,  in  the  same  neighborhood 
as  the  former,  and  those  of  Salitral,  near  San  Jose. 

ineeful  ant)  ©rnamental  Moobe, 

Rare  qualities  of  useful  woods  are  found  in  every  part  of 
Costa  Rica.  For  hardness,  unique  shades  and  durability, 
these  rival  the  world,  and  as  the  resources  of  the  country  are 
developed,  the  avenues  of  transportation  improved  and  the 
railroads  extended,  the  woods  will  yield  a  golden  harvest. 

The  list  given  below  comprises  only  the  more  important 
trees  known  at  present,  and  the  crosses  indicate  the  districts 
in  which  they  thrive. 


53 


d 

0 

u 

2 

-o 

_; 

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ca 

Building  and  Cabinet 

_3 

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IC 
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Woods. 

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en 

03 
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o; 
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« 

3 

WO 

J 

+ . +++++ . . + 


Arc.i + 

Almendra ..  +  ■••  + 

Aguacatillo +  .    ■  -I — f- 

bianco +  .      + +  .    . 

Albahaguilla,* +  .+      ..+ 

Aguacate •    .  + 

Anonillo .....+  ..+ 

Amanllo +  . 

Azaharillo + 

Brasil +  .    .    .  +++++  .    .    .  + 

"      nacar + '    ' 

Balsa + 

Balsamo  negro +  . 

Batea +  . 

Corteza  amarilla  *...+  ....  -\ — \-  .    .    .  + + 

blanca     ....+  ...  +++ + 

"        negra  *....  + + 

"        de  venado     ..+  •-+ 

Cortds +  .  ++ 

Cortt^za ++  ....  +  .+ +  .... 

Cedro  amargo  *  .    .    .    .  ++++  .  +++  .  +  .    .  +++  ..+  ...+  ...  +  ... 

"       dulce* +++++++  ++++++++++++++.+++.+++ 

"       pachote     .    .    .    .  + +  .  +++  ...  +  .+ 

Caoba* 4-.    .+++.    .++++++ ++++.++.+ 

"        nacar  *  . •    •  + 

Cristobal  * +  .    .  +++  .  +  .+  .  +  ..+ + 

Cocobola  * ++  .    .    .  -f  .    .    .  ++ •.  +  .    .  +  .  +  .  +  .    .    .    . 

nambar  *     ..  +  -..  + + +  ■    •  ++  •  +  -    -  +  -    - 

Chaparro + +  . + 

Chirraca  * +  ..  +  ..  +  .  ++ +  .    . 

Cucaracho + 

Cerillo + + 

Copalchisillo -f- 

Cherr6  * ++ 

Cocora +  . 

Cascarillo + 

Coquito      H — i — h  ■    ■  ^ 

Cacique +  .+  ...+ 

Cacho  de  venado 4- 

Cachimbo      + +  . 

Canela  * + ++++ 

Come  negro +  •    •    •  + 

Copalchi 4-.  +  --.-+ 

Chancho + + 

Capulin + 


++ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Chilamate +  .    .    . 

Campana +  •    ■ 

Carboncillo  " + 


+  .  + 
.+  . 


++ 


♦Cabinet  woods. 


54 


Building  and  Cabinet 
Woods — Continued. 


c 

5 1  « 

P3    J3 

c  1  b 

<u 

3 

c 

.3 
'0 

O 

C 
< 

a 
c 

in      ^ 

Q  M 

O     tii 

J5 

o 

i 

S  -3  D 


Z  CO 


CandeliUa         + 

Caragra      -j- 

Cuerecillo     -j- 

Chilillo 

Curd 

Cerro 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Culantrillo 

Chaperno ! -j-  . 

Carao  macho -|- 

Ceiba - 


+ 


Caimito      

Cuajada 

Danto 

"      amarillo    .    . 

"      bianco  ...... 

Encino + 

Espabey     

Espino  Colorado    .... 

"       agudo      

"       bianco     

Estaquilla      

Ebano    


++ 


-++++ 


.+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+- 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Frijolillo -|- 

Guapinol +  .    .    .  +H — h+ .....+  ...,.... 

Guayabo  * + + +  .. •. 

GuayabiUo* +  .    .    .+  .++.+  .    .  ++  .    .  +-|-++  ........ 

Guacimo  * + + + 4- 

Guachipelin +++++++  .  +++  .++.++.  +  .  -|-++  .    .  ++  . 

Guanacaste -| — | — \-  ....  + -j- -j- 

Guayacan  * + ++ ++  .  ++  .  ++. 

"  bianco      +  .    .    . 

Granadillo* ++ +  •  +  •  +++  ' 

Guiseoyol      + 

Genisaro +  ... -j- -(- 

Guaitil 4-+ 

Golondrina -(- 

Haya  * 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Huitilimon +  . 

Huitimonte 

Hinchador    

Ira  Colorado +++  •  ++++  ....+  ..  +++  '..... 

"   bianco +  ..+  .  +  ...  +  ....+  ....+- 

"  amarillo ++  .    .  ++  .    .  ++  •    •  ++ 

"  rosa ++  .  +  .  +  +++  .    .    .  +++  ^  + 

"  mangle ++  .  + + 

Jaill + 

Jocote-fraile -j- 

Lechilla + + 


♦Cabinet  woods. 


55 


o 

o 

'OC 

cii 

tfl 

Building  and  Cabinet 

a 

V 

5 

F 

6 

i 

o 

V 

1 

E 
o 

0 
be 

5 

u 

5 

3 

CS 

cd 
C 

9 

Woods —  Continued. 

o 

u 

1) 

c 

01 

C 

o 

c; 

2< 

0 

a 
u 

cd 
o 

U 

0) 

ui 

a 

5u 

< 

§ 

< 

O 

< 

C/} 

X 

U 

J 

5Z 

1/2 

o 

3 

en, 

w 

O 

J 

Lorito 

Lloron  *    .    .    .    . 

I.agarto      .... 

Lagartillo-negro 

Loro-negro  *    .    . 

Laurel*     .... 

Lanti.sco     .... 

Limoncillo    .    .    . 

Llayo      

Maria      

Mariquita  .... 

Madera  negro  .    . 
"        hierro  .    . 

Madero 

Madrono    .... 

Murta 

Moral  * 

Melon  *     .    .    .    . 

Mutieca      .... 

Maranon    .... 

Mangle 

Nispero*  .... 

Nance     

Naranjo  de  monte 

Ojoche   ..... 

Ocora 

Pochote     .... 

Piche 

Pocora 

Papa  * 

Palo  frio    .... 
"    azul    .... 

Plomillo     .... 

Pisco 

Pappaturro  negro  ' 

Poroporo  .... 

Peiiie  de  mico 

Quizarr^  .... 
negro* 
"  amarillo 
"  barcino 
"  cacho  . 
' '        clavo    . 

Quizarracillo    .    . 

Quina 

Ouiebra  hacha  * 

Roble  * 

""     negro     .    . 


++ 


.  +  .+  .  .+ 
+ . . + . ++ 
+  .    .+  .    .+ 


+  .-.    .    .    . 


+ 
+ 


+ 


.+ 


+ 


++ . +++++ 


+ 

.  +++  .    . 


+  .    .+ 


+ 


+  .    .+ 


++ + . ++ 


++-f 


+++++++ . + . ++++ 


. + . +++ . . ++ 


+ 


+  .  . 

++  . 

.+  + 


+ 


+ 

+ + 

++++++ 


+++ 


+ 


+++++ . + . + 


+ 


.  .  .+ 

. . .+ .+ 


+ 


+ 


+++  + 
.+  .  . 
.  .  .+ 


++ . . ++ 


++ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


++  .  .+ 
.  .  .  .+ 


+  +  .  .  +  .+- 


+  .+ 


+ 


+  .  .+ 


+ 


+ 


+++  .+ 


+ 


+ . ++++ . + 


+  .  .+ 


+  .  .+ 


+ 


++ 

+  ' 


+  .  +++  .  + +  .  .  .  -f 

+  .....  +  .++.  +  .  +  ..+ 

+.+.+.+. .++.+.++. ++++ . +++ . + . + 
-f- H — f-  .  .  +  .  -f-  .  .  .  -)--|-- 


*Cabiriel  woods. 


56 


Building  and  Cabinet 
Woods — Continued. 


o 

o 

H 

■n 

n1 

cs 

•^ 

n 

^ 

N 

C/5 

u 

IC 

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e 

(IJ 

r! 

u 

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2 

^ 

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< 

^ 

< 

!/3 

o 

<; 

en 

U 

ft. 

J 

J 

^ 

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J 

3 
Cl, 

w 

O 

Roble  encina +  ■    • 

"      amarillo 

Ronron  * +  .    .  +++  .  +  .  +  .++.+ 

Recina + 


+ 


+ . +++ . . ++ 


. .+ . + . . .+ . . 


Raton 

Sizzi* 

Sahino + 

Sanjuanillo  * --| — [-+  •    •    •    •  +  •  +  •'•    •    ■  + 

Santa  Rosa + 

Sur^ 


++  + 


+ 


4- 


Sierrilla     + 

Siete  cueros     -\ — (- 


Sayo    .    .    . 
Sandalo 
Tirrfi  .    .    . 
Tiquizzirri 
Tubtis     .    . 


+ 


+  . 


+  .  + 


+  .+- 
.    .+ 


+ 


+  .    .    . 


+ 


Tucuico     + 

Treshuevos  * + 

Titora 


Tempisque .    .  + 

Tamarindo 

Uruca -\-_ 


+ 


Vainilla 
Venado 
Venecunco 
Yoz     ... 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+  - 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Yas  ... 
Yuguilla  . 
Yambaro  . 
Zapotillo  . 
Zopilotillo 
Zorrillo  .  . 
Zapote  mico 


+ 


+ 


++ 


+ 


+  . 


+ 


+     + 


+++  . 


+  . 


.-h 


*Cabinet  woods. 


flDcMcal  an^  ©Icacjinous  {plants. 

These  are  principally  the  result  of  indigenous  or  spontaneous  growth, 
a  part  of  the  local  flora,  and  with  scientific  care  and  intelligent  indus- 
try will  always  be  a  pregnant  source  of  revenue. 

The  following  list  indicates  the  habitat  of  each  plant  mentioned  : 

57 


Medical  Plants. 


0,  < 


O,^ 


C/^ilU  M  ^ 


^, 


rt  Oi!   S 


Acedera + 

^ichicoria + 

Agrd + 

Aguacate + 

Ajenjo + 

"o      + 


++ 


+ 
+ 


.+  . 
++  . 


+ . + . ++++ . - 
+++ . ++++ . . 

. . . + . .++.+. . . 

...+...+  

+++++ . .+++ .+ . 

...+...+  


+■ 


Aj 

Albahaca + + +  ...  +  ..+ + 

Alcotan ; +  .    ■ 

Amapola +  .  +  .    .    .+ +  .    •    .++.  +  .+  .+ 

AnisiUo      + + +  ...  ++++  .  +  .    . 

Anono + -j- 4--+ 


+  .++ 


Apasote +  .  +  .    .  ++  .    .  +  .  +++ 

Aromo + + ++  •    ■    ■  + 

Artemisa +  .    .  ++++  .    .  +  .    .  +  .  +++++ 

Azahar  de  monte + + 

Alacran      +  .    .    .  + 

Agarico  bianco + 

"        negro + 

Azafran      - -|- 

Aloe + 


+ 


+ 


Aconito     + 

Arnica -j- 

Albarrana 

Asta  de  ciervo 

Aceituna 

Azucena    

Adormidera 

Avellana 

Anacahuita 

Alerojo 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Albahaca  de  anis +  . 

Almendro + 

Balsamito      + +  .    .    .    . 

Balsamo  de  Told +  .    .    .  -\ — |-  ..+  ••••+ H — h  •  ,r 

"  Peru + ++  .  ;..;. 

Barbasco +  .    .    .  + • 

Bodoque +  ■  H — h  .... 

Borraja + ++++++++++++ -f  +  . 

Betivir 


Balsamo  de  Brasil 

Bitamo 

Belladona     .    .    . 

Beleno 

Bijaroo 

Berro      

Bijagua 


+ 


+ 


+ 

+ 


++ 
+ 


++ 


+  .+ 


+ 


+ 


Balsamo  negro + 

Bicho + 

Conchalagua +  ....  +  ...  +  ..  ++  .  +++++  •    •  + 

Canela 

58 


Medical  Plants. 
Continued. 


<\m 


Cana  agria +++  ....  ++  •  +++++  •    •  +  •    •  +  • 

"     fistula + + +  ■•  ++++ 

Capitaneja + +  ■•  + 

Camo + + ++.  +  .++ 

Carboncillo '■ + 

Cardosanto  amarillo     .  +  .    .    .  +  ■  +  •    •  +  •    ■  ++  •    •  ++H — h  •  " 

bianco     .    .  +  .    .    .+  .  +  .    .  +  .    .  ++  ..  +  ..  + 

Carvalla + 

+  . 


Cedron .  + 


+ 


+ 


Cerraja +  .    .    .    .  -\ — \-  .    .  + 

China + + +  •••■ 

Chipilin 


+ 


Chirraca +  .  +  .+  ■•■••-  ++  .•■  + +  ..  +  . 

Cola  de  alacran +  ...  +  ....  +++  ■  +  ■    • 

Contra  yerba +  .  +  ..  +  .  +  ...  +  ....  ++  .    .  ++  . 

Copal +  .  +  ...  +  ..++....  + 

Copalchi +  .  + +++++++  .    .    .  +++  ..+  .... 

Copey +  ..  + ++.  + +  .+  ... 

Corralillo      + 

Cucuhneca +  •    -    • 

CulantriUo +  •  +  ■    •  +++  ....++-  +++++  ...  +  .... 

Chicasquil + + ■ 

Culantro  coyote  ....  + + +  .  +  .  -\ — h 


Cardon      + + 

Cordoncillo + + 

Carana  .  _ +  .    .  + + ++■■■•+- 

Coloquintida + + +  ■  + 

Cebada +  .  +  ....  +  .......++ +  - 

Copaiba H — h 

Cerillo + 

Cedril + 

Coco + 

Cativo H — |- 


+ 


+-K 


Coyol .  + 

Capsico + 

Cornizuelo  de  centeno + 

Contra  veneno - 

Chan      


+ 


+ 


Cuasia + 

Cuasquite      + + 

Capitana + 

Chile  de  perro     .■ 4---+ +  •• 

Camibar + +  .    .    .    . 

Cominillo + 

Cristalillo 


++.++ 


+ 


Caucho +  . 

Calabazas +  . 

Chiquite + 

ChiquizA 

Cebadilla 


++ 
+  . 


59 


Medical  Plants. 
Continued. 


Corrimiento     .    .    . 

Coroso 

Clavelina  .... 
Cuerno  de  ciervo  . 

Cero 

Coquillo 

Chasmol 

Cebovejetal  .... 
Doradilla  .... 
Duerme  muela    .    . 

Dijital 

Dormilona    .... 

Dragon      

Eneldo       

Escoba  blanca     .    . 

"       de  castilla  . 

"       negra      .    . 

"       deSn  Pedro 

Escobilla 

Escorsoneda    .    .    . 

Eucaliptu 

Estoraque     .... 

Espinillo 

Estramonio  .... 
Frailecillo     .... 

Francesa  

Florifundia  .... 

Frijolillo 

Golondrina  .... 

Guaco 

Guapinol 

Guarumo 

Guizaro 

Giiitite 

Garrapatilla     .    .    . 

Guayaca 

Gomalaca     .... 

Guaria 

Granada 

Giiis-coyol    .... 

Guacuco 

Grama  morada  .    . 

Gavilana 

Higurilla  blanca     . 
"        colorada 

Higuero 

Hinojo 

Hoja  del    baso  .    . 

"      de  Estrella   . 

"      del  milagro  . 


++ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


++++ . + . +++++++++ - . + 


+ 
+ 
+ 


++ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ . . ++ . . . 


+  .  .+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


++ 


+  . 


++ 


+ 


+ 


+  . 


+ 


.  .  .+ 

+  .+ 


+ 


+ 


+  + 


+ 


+ 
+ 


++ 


+  .  .+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+++ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 
+ 


++ 


4- 


+ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


4 
+ 


+ 


+.+.+.+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


-f 


+ 


+ 
4- 


+  .+ 
4-  .+ 


4+ 


+ 

4 


4 
+ 


44 


44 


+ 


.  44  .  4 
4-f  .  .  + 
6o 


.+4 


.4+++ 
;  44 


+ 


....  4  . 

4- 

4.4-.  .+ 
+  .4 


+ 


O 

o 

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Hqja  de  poro     . 

'*      sen  .... 

"      del  aire  .    . 

"        "  guaco  . 

"        "   corazon 
Hombregrande  . 

Hule 

Hongos  .... 
Helecho  macho  . 
Holatillo  .... 
Huitirre  .... 
Ipecacuana  .    .    . 

Itabo 

Javilla 

Jengibre  .... 
Jenocuabe  .  .  . 
Juanislama   .    .    . 

Jalapa 

Jaral  

Jinote 

Jocote 

Lechilla     .... 

Lengua  de  ciervo 

"        de  vaca  . 

Llanten     .... 

Linaza    

Liquidambar  .  . 
Limoncillo   .    .    . 

Limon 

Lirio  del  valle 
Lechuga  .... 
Lagarto  .... 
Lombricera  .  .  . 
Leche  de  vaca  . 
Malva  ..... 
Manzanilla  .  .  . 
Maranon  .... 
Matasano  .... 
Mechoacan  .  .  . 
Mejovana  .... 

Morera 

Mozote  de  caballo 
Mostaza     .... 

Mand 

Menta 

Mastuerzo     .    .    .  ■ 

Maria 

Mora 

Melisa 

Mais  Negro  .    .    , 


++ 


+  + 


-+  .    .  ++  .  + 


+ 


+ 


+ 


. ++ . . .++++ . 
++ 

.  ++ 

.  + ++  .    . 

+  .    .    .    . 


+ 


+  .    - 


-+.++.+. +++++ . ++++++ 


.+ 


+ 


+  .  + 


+ 


+  .  ++  . ++++++ 
+ . ++ . . . .++ . 

. .++.+. . + . . 

.  .  .+ 


++  .  .  + 


++.+.+ 
..+... 


+ 


+ 


++  .  .+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+  ■  + 


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.  + + 


+ 


+ 
+ 


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+ 


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+ 


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+++ . +    . +++ . +++  ++++ .  .  + 

+ + + +  .  .  . 


+ 


+++++ .+ . 


+ 


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+ +  ..  +  ...  + 


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+ 


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6i 


Medical  Plants. 
Continued. 


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Maravilla  .  . 
ivlalacagiiite 
Melosa  .    .    , 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Matiar  .... 
Mastranto  .  . 
Masquitaguiste 
Maquenque  .  . 
Nacasacolo  .  . 
Naguapate  .  . 
Naranjo  Agris 
Nangu 


+ 


+ 


+ 


.+ 


+  .  +  . 


+  . 
++ 


+ 


+  ++ 


+ 


Oregano +  .....+ -\ — h  .    .  +  .  + 

Orozus + + +  ...  -| — h  + 

Ortiga + + 


+ 


+ 


Ojo  de  Pajaro + + 

Olotillo + +  .    .    - 

Ocote + 

Opis -f 

Papelillo 

Platanillo +  .    - 


+ 


+ 


Pilo 

Polypondium H — h  ....  H — h  • 

Polipor  de  Giiilite + 

Poroporo H — I — h  ■    ■  + 


+- 


++ 


Palmilera + + 

Parrua + -  ■   - 

Por6 + 


+ 


Policaria + 


+ 


+ 


Pichichin 

Pipapica +  ....+ 

Pico  de  Pajaro -j — h  ... 

Pimiento 


+ 


+ 


4-+ 


Pontespate + 

Perejil + 

Pepermen + 

Pein6  de  Mico + 

Panamd •    •  + 

Pechote +...... 

Palo-Conejo +  ■ 

Palma  de  Yolillo "J- 

Purea  de  Fraile + 

Quina + ++....  +  .  +  ...  +  ...+ 

Quitirri      + 

Qui^bra  muela ,....  + 

Quita  calz6n + 

Raiz  de  china + + 

"      "  mora +  ......  + 

Rein^  de  la  noche  ...+ +  ..  +  ..  H — \-  ..  +  •••• 

Romero +++  ■    •    •  +  •  +  •  ++++  .  ++  •    •  +  • 

Reida +  +  +  .        .  +  .++..  4-+++++++  , 

62 


+ 
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Medical  Plants. 
Continued. 


RuioarDo 
Rudilla      .    . 
Raspa  guacal 
Rosa  .... 


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+  . 


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"     t6 +  .    . 

Rabo  de  puerco H- 

Raicesilla 


+  .+ 


Ruibarbo  panzon   .... 

Salvia + 

Sagd 


.  + +  .    . 


++  .+- 


+ 


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San  Antonio 

San  Diego 

San  Carlos + 

Sanco +  ....  +  .  H — |-  . 

Sensitiva + +  .    .    . 


++.++ 


.  .+  .  . 
+  .  .  .+ 
+  .    .    .    . 


++ 


Sontol + +  ...+ 

Suelda  con  suelda + + 

Simaruda 


+  .    .+ 


Saiiguinaria +  .    .    .    . 

Sierra  de  gallo +  . 

Saragundi + 

Sl^mprevia + 

Sotacaballo 

Savila 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Sandal +  .  +  .... 

Semicontra + 

Sana  luego yf  . 

Sangre  amarilla + 

Talcacao + + 


Tamarindo -\ — |-  .    . 

Tapate +  .    .    .    .  +++  •  +  •    •  ++  • 

Tuete     ........+ + ++  . 

Toro + 


+ 
+ 


+  .  ++ 

+  .  +  . 


+ 


+ 


Tragacanto 

T6 

Targtia 

Tucila 

Tacaco + 

Tuna + 


+ 
+ 


+ 


Tiquilote + 

Tremenlina + 

Una  de  gate 

Urtica + 


+ 


Valeriana ++ 

Vainilla ++ -f + 

Verbena +  .  +  .  +  .++..•++...  +  . 

Vermut  6  absent -f  .    .    .    .  -| — h 

Viborana +  .  +  --t-.-    •  +  •■  +  .•••  +  • 

Verdolaga -)- 


+  .+ 


.63 


Medical  Plants. 
Continued. 


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Varilla  negra +  ■    ■ 

Vidleta +  .    • 

Vainilla  negra 

Yazu + i-+  .  +  + 

Yerba-buena +  +  +  .    .    .  +  .  +++++++++ 


+ 


+++  . 


cacao  

culebra 

del  pesar -\ — \- 

santa +  ...  +  . 

mora +-f  .    .    .  +  + 

t^ 


+ 


+ 


.+ 


++ 


++ 


+  .  + 


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+ 


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tinta 

tora 

del  viejo 

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escudilla 

Zacate  de  limon  ....  +  ••■      H — h 

"      de  olor + 

Zarzaparrilla +  .  +  •    .  +  .  +  .    .  ++++  •  ++- 

Zorrillo + + +-f  .    .  +++ 


+.++.+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


++  .    .  + 


Dl?e  plants. 

The  products  from  which  dye  stuffs  are  made  are  of  an  excellent 
quality.  The  plants  are  numerous  and  thrived  in  the  districts  indidated 
below. 


Dye  Plants. 


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Anil    .    .    . 
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Achiotillo 
Aromo 


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+ 
+ 


++  .+ 
+++  . 


+ 


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+  .++ 


+ 


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Brasil 

Carao 

Capulin     .... 

Carmin 

CeboUin    .... 

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.  +  .-^ 


64 


Dye  Plants — Continued. 


Encino  bianco  . 
Encino  Colorado 
Fruta  de  agra  .  . 
Guacharo  .  .  . 
Grana 


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langle  .  . 
Mercolina 
Moral  .  . 
Moran    .    . 


.  +  .+ 


+  .+ 
.  +  . 


+ 


+ 


+ + 

+ 


Nacascolo H — h  -    .  +  •    ■ 

Nancite +  ...  +  ...  +  •  +  .  +  ••-•++■  +++  • 

Nance +  ..  +  ..  +  .- + + 


Ojo  de  buey +  •    •  ++ + 

Parrtia + + 

Pavel     


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


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+ 
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Palo  amarillo 

Ratoi.cillo 

Sanguinaria H — I — h  .    .    .  +  ..-.    .    .  + 

Sangre  de  drago  .    .    .  -j- 

Sanjuanillo + +  -    - 

Saca-tinta +++  .    .  ++ ++.++.    -    .++.++.  +++ 

Targua  Colorado    ...  + + +  ••  H — h  •    ■ +  ■ 

Tintor +  ..  +  ..+ ++ 

Tucuico + + 

Una  de  gato + 

Ubita 

Viborana      +  .    .    .  + 

Vainilla + 

Yerba  tinta  . ,.  +  ..... 

Yuquilla +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .    .    .    .  +  .++.  +  .  +  .  + + 

Yerba  mora + 


+ 


^cittle  plants. 

After  further  investigation  and  experiment,  it  will  probably  be  found 
that  there  are  few  textile  plants  at  present  cultivated  in  any  part  of  the 
world,  that  cannot  be  made  to  yield  profitable  results  in  some  parts  of 
Costa  Rica, 

Below  is  a  list  of  those  at  present  best  known,  and  the  crosses 
indicate  the  districts  in  which  they  thrive. 

65 


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Agrd  .  . 
Anono    . 


+ 


+. .+. .+ 


+  .+ 


+ 


Balsa +++  .    .  ++ +  .  ++ +  .  +++  .    .    . 

Barrieona + H — h  .    .      +  .    . 

Burio  .    .    .  ^ +++++  .  +++++++++++++++  .    .    .  +  .  +  .+ 

Bejuco  reale + 


Buriogre 
Balsamo 
Ceiba 
Coco  .    . 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+■■ 


.    .++  . 

+  .  +  .  + 


Cabrilla + 

Cabuya +++  .  ++++- 

Cola  de  gallo + 

Coral      


-4-  .  +++  .  ++++  .  +++  .  +++ 


+ 


C^namo .    .  + 

Chonta + 

Chirrabaca + 

Cucharilla + 

Capulin      


+ 


Coyol     - 

Escobilla  blauca + + 

Enca  de  junco + 

Escalera  de  mice + 

Guarumo  .......  +  ...  + + 

Guasimo H — h + 

itabo +  .   .  .  +++  ....  +  .  +  .;.  + 

Junco ++^  .    .  ++  .  ++ +  ■ 

+  ■        ' 


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+ . .++.++.+. . ++++ . • ++ 


+ 


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Juco 
Linaza   . 
Lino   .    . 
Maguey 
Mastate 
Majagua 

Mozote + + 

"      de  caballo + .....  +  .. 

Palma +  .    .    .    .  ++ + + 

Pita +  .    .  ++++++++++++  .    .  ++  .  +++  .  +  •  +++ 

Pinuela +++  .    .  +++  •  +  •  ++++++++++  •    •  +++++  ■ 

Pina +++  ..++...  ++++++ +++  ■ 

Platano      +++  .  +  .    .    .    .    •    •  ++  ■  +++  •  +  ■  +  •    ■    ■    •  ++  •    • 

Pochote + +  .    ■    •  ++  •    ■ 

Patarra + 

Palmito 
Peta  floja 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Paja 

Palo  de  jabon + 

Peine  de  mico +  • 

Palmiche + 

Palma  real + 


66 


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Quiebra  plato 
Ramio  .  .  . 
SoncoUa  .  . 
Surtuba  .  . 
Socorro  .  . 
Tirra  .... 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


Una  de  gato .  +  . 

Yute + . 

Zapote  de  mice -\ — |- 


+ 


agricultural  products. 


The  amazing  success  of  agricultural  products  could  not  have  been 
foretold  by  the  wildest  dreamer.  We  have  but  to  gaze  at  the  list  below 
to  find  an  evidence  that  Costa  Rica  has  a  soil  and  a  climate,  equalled 
perhaps  by  no  other  country  for  agriculture  in  its  broadest  sense.  It  is 
a  land  of  plant  profusion. 

In  the  following  lists  the  crosses  indicate  the  habitat  of  the  individual 
plants  : 


Agricultural  Products. 


2;  k 


Alberjas    .    .    . 

Anis 

Arroz 

Aguacate  .  .  .' 
Anona    .    .    .    . 

Ayote 

Arracacha     .    . 

Apio 

Ajo 

Alpiste  .  .  .  . 
Arrayan  .... 
Albahaquilla  . 
Aceituna  .  .  . 
Algodon    .    .    . 

Berro 

Berenjena     .    . 

Batata 

Cacao.   •    •    •    • 
"       de  mico 


+  .+- 


+ 


++.+ 


+  .  +  .  ++++++  + 
+++++ .+ .+• + 
+ . .++++. . . . 
++++++++ . ++ 
+ 


f +.  +  .+.  +  .  .  . 

-f  .  +  .  .  +++++++++  .  ++4- 
• +++ . . . + . +++++++ . + 

• +++ . +++ . + . . + 

.++.  +  .  .  .  +++++++++4- 


+ 


.  .  .+ 


+  •  ■  + 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 
+ 


H- 


++ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+  .+ 


+ ■ +++++ 


+ 


67 


Agricultural  Products. 
Continued. 


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"     Caracolillo 

Cebada  

Culantro    .    .    .    . 

Cidra  

Caz 


+++++++++++ . +++++ .+.++.++.+. 
+ +  .+ 


.  +  .  +  . 

. + . . . +++ 


+     ++. 
.    .  +  .  -f 


++ 


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Col 

Cebolla, .  .  . 
Chile  picante. 
Cebollin.   .    . 


Caiia  de  azucar  . 
Cuajiniquil    .    .    . 

Chayote 

Camute 

Chile  dulce  .    .    . 
CoHflor  ..... 


.  +  .+ 
.++  . 


+ 


+  .- 
-f  + 
+  ... 


-+  . 
+  + 


+  .++  . 
++.  .+ 


+ 
+ 
+ 


+ 
+ 


+ 


+  .+ 


-+ . +++++++ . +++ . + . + . . . . + . +++ 

+  .  .  ++ + + 

++++++++ .++.++. ++++++ . . . +++++ 
+  .  +  .  ++++  ....++.  +++++4  .  .  ++++  .  -f 
+ + ++..  +  .  +  .+ 


Chiverre +  .    .    .  H — \-  .    .  + 

Cubaces + 

Carro-caliente + 

Cereza + 


-f- 


+ 


+ 


Cebadilla + 

Coyol +  ■■•  +  ■  + 

Coruso + + 

Ciruela + + + 

Chian .    .    .  + +  .    . 

Caimito + +  •    ■    •    •  H — 1-+ 


Coco + H — h  . 

Cacao  mani • + 

Cerrajilla 4- 

Chicasquil + 

Chiverrillo + 

Capuli 


+  +++ 


+ 


Cohombro +H — h  ■    •    - 

Corrosive  (palo) +  •    ■    ■    - 

Canafistula ■■--{- 

Carao + 


Chirimoga ~\ — h  • 

Calabazo H — V 

Durazno +  .    .    .  +  •    ■    ■  +  •    •    •  +  •  +  •  +++ + 

Eneldo +  .  +  .  +  .  + 

Erepe +  .    .    .    . 

Esparrago 

Frijoles +++++++++++++++++++- 

Fruta  de  pan +  .    .    .  -h  ■  + + 

Freza + 


+ 


+ 


Frambuesa +  .    .    . 

Garbanzos .  +  .  H — I — I — V  \-  ■ 

Guayaba +  .  +++++  • 

Graiiadilla +  .  ++-1-  •  ^  ■ 

Guaba +  .    .  ++++  • 


.    .  + + +  .+ 

.    .  +  .  + +++++  .... 

+  .  +++  .    .++.++ +  . 

..+.+...+  


68 


o 

fco  S 

C 

"S    i2       ■ 

N 

<n 

o 

Agricultural  Products. 
Continued. 

re 

a 
■J 

"I  i 

re 
u 
3 

O 
S 

re 

re 

'■J 

0^ 

re 

re 

5    J         o    3|re 
5-1     .Q«!re 
S  ^   re   o   re  Pi 

d 

p 

3 

re 
o' 

re 

re 

re 

re 
n 

re 

re 

re 

"5 
Q 
.o 

c 

0 

C  ,  u 

u 

'^   o  "^ 

c 

^ 

re   ii 

•jt 

tr 

cfi  w:; 

i, 

<  ^,< 

(/J 

O 

o]  —1    c^    rt    n]    rt    rt 

5 

J 

3 

2; 

n 

j; 

a, 

W 

O 

ij 

Granada  . 
Guanabana 
Guizaro     . 


+ 


+++  . 

+  .    .    . 


+  •  +++  .  +++++++  .  -f  .  +  .  + 
.  +  . ++.    .++++. 


Guasimo + 

Guacal -    .  + +  .    .    .  -\ — |- 

Garbanzon + 

Guastomate     + 

Guineo 


+ 


Guapinol + 

Guama 

Higuerilla  blanca  .    .    .  + +  .  + + + 

*'  colorada  ..  +  •••■-  +  •+ + 


Higos +  .    .    .    . 

Hinojos      +  .    - 

Huigo + 

Higuito      -j- 


+ 


+ 


.  +  . 
.  +  . 


Higueron + 


Hismoyos + 

Holosapos + 

Helequeme + 

Itabo 


+ 


Icaco + 

Jinote : 

ticara 


+  .    .+ 


+■++  .++.++ 


+ 


+  .    .    . 
+  .    .  + 


+ 


+  .++ 


++ 


++ 
++ 


. +++ . + . . + 
.  +++  .  +  .  +  .- 


Jocote  de  corona    .    .    .  +  •  H — 1-+++  ■    • 

"       comun +  .  -f  •    ■  H — I-  •    • 

Joico ++ + 

jovillo '....+ 

Linaza    ........  +  .  -f  .  +  .  4- +  ■  + 

Limon-cidra +  ....+ 

Limon +  .  +  .  +++  .    .    .  ++++  .  +  . 

Lima.    ._ +  .  +  .+++.    .    .++++.  +  . 

Lima-agria + +  .    .    .    . 

Lechuga +  .4-.  +  .  +  .  +  -    •    •  +  •+.    • 

Maiz +++++++++++++++++++++++- 

Manzana  rosa ++  .    .    .    .  4-  .    .    .  +++  ,.  +  ....  ++-1-  .  +  .    .    . 

Mostaza + + ++  .    .    .  +  .  ++ 

Mango  .........  +++++++  .  +  .  +++++++  .  +  .  ++++++++ 

Matasano + + 

Manzano ++  ••  + +  .  +  .  + -\- 

Mora -j- 


Murta     .    .  .  . 

Morera  .    .  .  . 

Maranon    .  .  . 

Manzanlla  .  . 

Membrillo  .  . 

Mdnbre     .  .  . 

Melon    .    .  .  . 

Molinillo  .  .  . 
Naranjo  dulce 


+ 
+ 


++ 


++ 


69 


+  .    .    .    . 
+ 


-+++.  +  .+++- 


Agricultural  Products. 
Contimied. 


o 

O 

he 

S 

1 

rt 

s 

C 
O 

6 

N 

.a 

N 

3 
;-« 

o 

m 

o 

-v 

"rt 

i5 

E 

rrt 

.5 
'3 

6 

,n 

rt 
S 

.2 

o 

Q 

M 

a! 

o 

a! 

d 

_o 

rt 

ca 

<u 

IC 

c 
11 

fi 

3 

Q 

-, 

cfl 

nl 

.3 

.1-1 

rt 

3 

Oi 

rt 

s 

1) 

p 

o 

d 

« 

ri 

^ 

rt 

tfl 

U 

OJ 

rt 

,'1' 

(U 

o 

aj 

c 

X 

c 

;-< 

D/: 

in 

M 

Q 

Oh 

< 

< 

O 

< 

d 
M 

U 

Ch 

3 

2; 

J 

3 
CL, 

W 

O 

Naranjo   de  olor 
"        agria 
"        china     . 

Nabo      

Niame 

Nispero     .    .    .    . 

Nance 


.+.++.+. . . . 
. + . +++ . + . + . 
. . .++ . . . .+ . 
. +++ . + . + . . + 
.  +  .  .  .  +  .  +  .  .+ 
+ 


.  +++ 


+  . 

++ 


+ 


++ 

.    .  +  .  + 

. . ++++++++ . + . + 
...-.+ + 


+ 


Nancite      -j— | — |-  , 

Ojoche + 

Platanos +++^  +  ++^  +++4.++  .  +  .    .    .  ++++  .  +++++ 

Pita-aya + + + - 


-aya     .... 

Papaya      

Piiia 

Perejil 

Porotos + 

Pacaya +  ••••••  +  ••• 

Palmito  dulce -f-.    ..  +  ■  +  ..+ 

Por6 + 


+ 
+ 


+  +++ +  .  +  .    .  +  .  +++  .    .  +  .    .    .  + 

++++  •  +  •    .    .  +  .  + ++.++.    .    .  + 

+ ++..  +  .... 


+ 


Pera 

Pinuela  .    .    .    .    . 

Papas     

Pejivalle    .    .    .    . 
Palmito   amargo 

Pepino 

Papaturro     .    .    . 

Pipian 

Palta       


+ 
+ 


+ 


++++++++++ 
. . .+ .+ . 


++  .+ 
.    .  +  . 


++ 


++ . ++ . + 


+  . 


Papamiel . 

Ouimbras      +  .    . 

Rabano      +  .    .    .  +  .  +  .++.  +  +  +++++  .  +++  ..  +  ,... 

Remolacha +  ...  + +  •■  +  •  + -h 

RepoUo ,+  .    .    .  +  .++.++.  +++  .++.++ 

Rabo  de  mico + 

Raspa-guacal       +  .    .    .■ 

Sismollo    .......+ 


+++  .  4-++  .  + 


•    .    .  +  ^    ■    .  +  .  + ■  . 

Sandias -\ — h  .    .    .  + 

Surtuba -j- + 

Somgapote + H — h ,■ 

Soncollo +++  .    .    .    .  + -I-+  .    . 

Sierrecillos + 

Trigo      +  .,.  +  .  +  .  +  ...  +++  .  +++ -f 

Tacaco ...  +  .++..++....  +  ...  +  .  + 

"      sin  estopa    .    .    .  +  .  ++  .    .  ++  ....  +  ...  +  .  + 

Tiquisgues +++  .  ++++  .  +++++  .++.  +  .  +++++  .  +++ 

Tomate  de  rinon    .    .    .  +H — |-  ...  +  ••+ ++  •    .  +  .  +  .+ 

comun   ....+.  +  ...  +  ..  4- ++..  +  .  ^  ,+ 

Toronja +  ....++....  -f+++ +  ...-.- 

Tuna -f + .- 

Tucuico     + •• 

Tamarindo :    .  4-4-  .    .- 


70 


Agricultural  Products. 
Continued. 


is:q 


Cl,   WIO 


Uva +  ..:...... 

' '   de  costa .    .  + 

Vainilla 


Yuca  .  .  . 
Yas  .  .  . 
Zapote  .  , 
Zanahoria 
Zapotillo  . 
Zapallo  .    . 


+ • 

. + . + . ++++++++++ .++.+.++. ++++++ 
+ + 

.++.++.+ +++++ . +++++++ . + . + 

.  +  .  .  .  +  .  +  .  .  .  -f  .  +  .  .  .  ++  .  +++  ..  +  ...+ 

.++....  + .  .+ 

.  ++++  .  .++.++.  +++  .  .  +++ '+  .  .  . 


Notwithstanding  the  vastness  of  the  territory,  yet  almost  unexplored, 
many  scientific  men  who  have  visited  the  country,  speak  of  it  in  the  most 
flattering  terms,  declaring  that  there  is  no  country  in  America,  perhaps 
in  the  world,  where  the  products  of  the  soil  are  so  varied  and  numerous 
as  in  Costa  Rica. 

The  greatest  drawback  experienced  by  the  people  of  Costa  Rica  in 
taking  advantage  of  its  abundant  sources  of  wealth,  has  been  the  smallness 
of  its  population.  These  are  obliged  to  devote  their  time  to  the  pro- 
duction of  cereals,  food  products,  and  other  articles  for  home  consump- 
tion ;  hence  have  been  unable  to  increase  the  number  of  articles  for 
exportation,  which  to-day  are  few  in  number,  the  most  important  being 
•coffee,  bananas,  sugar,  hides,  rubber,  pearls,  cacao,  woods  and  cocoanuts. 


Hgdcultutal  probuctions* 

Coffee, 

This  is  the  principal  export  of  the  country.  An  abundance  of  the 
highest  quality  is  produced  in  the  San  Jose,  Alajuela,  Cartago  and  Heredia 
Provinces. 


71 


The  facility  for  its  cultivation  and  its  superior  quality,  which- 
nas  already  brought  well-merited  fame  to  Costa  Rica  from  the 
rest  of  the  civilized  world,  and  the  high  prices  obtained  for  it 
in  foreign  markets,  have  induced  the  natives  to  devote  their 
energies  almost  exclusivey  to  the  raising  of  this  important 
staple. 

The  result  has  been  that  fortunes,  more  or  less  large,  have 
been  accumulated,  not  only  by  the  better  classes,  but  also  by 
the  peasants,  who  generally  own  the  houses  in  which  they 
live,  and  a  few  acres  of  land  which  yield  abundant  crops. 

The  following  table  shows  the  places  where  coffee  is  culti- 
vated, and  the  number  of  plantations  and  coffee  trees,  the  pro- 
duction in  "quintals"  (lOO  pounds),  and  value  of  the  har- 
vested article  in  1889: 


•*H    tn 


i)    ti 


S  H  ^  ^  Value  ia 

Provinces  and  Counties;                   -S  2  .q   «j  .g  5  Dollars. 

5  tj  3   o  =■  '3 

^  a,  ^  u  z  a 

SanJos6.    . 1,548  7,125,642  97,46312,241,649 

Escasu 287  882,955  17,425  400,775 

Desamparados 301  2,102,120  31,123  715,829 

Pursical i79  79,4i2  272  6256 

Aserri 218  354,9o8  827  19,021 

Mora 121  40,112  209  4>8o7 

Total  for  the  Province  of  San  Jos^     2,654  10,585,149  147,319  fo.3S8,337 

Alajuela 537  2,023,849  28,743  1661,089. 

San  Ramon 201  710,427  5,397  124,131 

Grecia 489  910,648  12. 427  285,821 

Naranjo  .    .    .    .    : 162  296,321  4,028  92,644 

Atenas 48  105,128  1,193  27,439 

San  Mateo 18  •        21,142  121  2,783 

Palmares 37i  1,245,325  21,282  489,486 

Total  for  the  Province  of  Alajuela     1,826  5,312,840  73, 191  $1,683,393 

Cartago  . 498  728,182  9,991  $229,793 

Paraiso 89  989,321  6,208  142,784 

LaUni6n 339  1,482,383  14,792  340,216 

Total  for  the  Province  of  Cartago        926  3,199,886  30,991  $7i2,795 

72 


o   g  o   ^  o   „• 

S  -w  S;  ^  S  -S  Value  in 

Provinces  and  Counties.  ^  ^  xi   v  ^3  riniiarc 

Heredia 1,327  3,235,427  37,428  $860,844 

Barba 237  833,725  10,112  232,576 

Santo  Domingo 368  2,102,127  31,192  717,416 

Sta.  Barbara 592  492,125  3,321  76,383 

'San  Rafael loi  332,182  4,798  110,354 

Total  for  the  Province  of  Heredia     2,425       6,995,586       86,851  li, 997, 573 

Total  for  the  Republic    .....      7,831     26,093,461     338,352  $7,782,096 

Considering  that  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  four  above- 
mentioned  provinces  is  182,998  (women  and  children  in- 
cluded), the  following  interesting  facts  may  be  drawn  by 
glancing  over  the  foregoing  table  :  There  is  one  coffee  planta- 
tion for  about  every  twenty- three  inhabitants,  or  one  hundred 
and  eighty-two  coffee  trees  per  capita,  producing  one  hundred 
and  eighty -four  pounds  of  coffee  for  each  inhabitant,  which 
represents  a  value  of  $^2.$^  for  every  man,  woman  and  child 
in  each  of  the  four  provinces  from  the  receipts  of  coffee  pro- 
duction alone. 

The  handsome  profits  realized  in  coffee-producing  countries 
have  awakened  the  general  interest  towards  that  branch  of 
agricultural  industry.  Costa  Rica  and,  indeed,  all  the  world, 
has  noticed  a  remarkable  increase  in  the  production,,  notwith- 
standing the  difficulties  experienced,  until  very  recently,  in  re- 
gard to  the  proper  v/ays  of  communication  with  the  shipping 
ports,  whereby  a  large  proportion  of  the  profits  were  swallowed 
tip  in  the  payment  of  inland  freight.  The  scarcity  of  labor, 
and  the  high  prices  paid  for  the  same,  have  also  been  powerful 
obstacles.  But  for  these  hindrances,  the  country's  wealth 
derived  from  the  production  of  such  a  valuable  article  as  coffee, 
would  be,  to-day,  many  times  larger. 

The  followjing  illustration  will  show  the  increase  in  the 
coffee  production  from  the  years  1884  to  1889  inclusive  : 

72, 


Coffee  Trees  and  Value  of  Crops  in  the  Years 
1S84.  1889. 

Grand  Total.  Grand  Total,     i — i  Grand  Total.       Grand  Total. 

(23,446,278) 


(3,925.330) 


San  Jose 
(1,999,160) 


Alajuela 

(345,960) 


Cartago 

(412,930) 


San  Jos^  . 
(9,783,86 


Alajuela 

(3,543,773) 


Cartago 

(2,823,706) 


Heredia  Heredia 

(1,167,280)      (7,249,932) 


;26,o93,46i) 


San  Jos^ 
(10,585,149) 


Alajuela 
(5,312,840) 


Cartago 
(3,199,886) 


(7,782,096) 


San  Jos^ 

(3,388,337 


Alajuela 
(1,683,393) 


Cartago 

(712,793) 


Heredia  Heredia 

(6,995,586)      (1,997,573' 


Value  of  Coffee.  Number  of  Coffee  Trees. 

Scale  in  this  Table  : 
j*g  inch=:28o,ooo  trees.  /g  inch=|;84,ooo. 


Value  of  Coffee. 


74 


flDanner  of  Cultivating  Coffee  an^  lestitnateb 

profits. 

Without  attempting  to  write  a  monograph  on  coffee,  or  on 
any  of  the  other  products  to  be  mentioned  in  this  book,  brief 
descriptions  will  be  made  to  give  at  least  an  idea  of  how  they 
are  cultivated  and  prepared  for  the  market. 

Selection  of  L'and.* — In  the  coffee  industry,  as  in  any 
other  agricultural  enterprise,  the  proper  selection  of  land  con- 
stitutes the  first  and  perhaps  the  most  important  feature.  It 
.is^  therefore,  convenient  to  notice  that  virgin  ground  is  always 
preferable ;  that  it  should  not  contain  gravel  or  sand  to  the 
depth  of  at  least  eight  feet ;  that  the  sub-soil  be  argillious 
and  permeable  ;  that  the  upper  layer  be  of  a  dark  brown  or 
black  earth  of  at  least  eighteen  inches  deep  ;  that  the  land 
selected  should  not  slope  too  much,  as  the  rain  would  carry 
off  the  vegetable  soil ;  and  finally  that  the  altitude  at  which 
it  is  found  be  either  higher  than  1,500  feet,  or  lower  than 
,5,000  feet  of  the  level  of  the  sea.  When  too  low,  the  tem- 
perature is  warm,  the  tree  develops  to  rapidly  and  becomes  too 
large,  the  quality  of  the  coffee  is  very  indifferent  and  the  plan- 
tation fails  many  years  sooner.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  land 
be  at  a  too  high  elevation,  the  tree  develops  very  slowly,  pro- 
duces little  (although  very  good  quality  of  coffee),  and  is  apt 
to  be  injured  by  frost. 

Preparing  the  Land. — After  having  ascertained,  by  means 
of  proper  soundings,  that  the  land  selected  possesses  all  the 
requirements  necessary  for  the  cultivation  of  coffee,  the  pre- 
paration of  the  ground  is  the  next  thing  which  calls  for 
attention.  • 


*For  further  information  on  this  subject  apply  to  /Ifiv.  1Ricbar^  IDillafranca,  who  will 
be  accessible  at  the  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  for  all  intending  Visitors 
to  Costa  Rica,  and  will  be  pleased  to  give  personal  letters  of  introduction,  and  furnish  any 
additional  specific  information  that  may  be  required.  All  communications  should  be 
addressed  to  the  Costa  Rica  Pavilion,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  until  December  31st,  1895,  and  there- 
after to  the  care  of  Typographic  Department,  Sackett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
.310  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York, 

75 


The  land  should  be  cleared  of  all  the  trees,  large  and 
small,  as  well  as  all  the  underbrush,  ploughed  and  turned  over 
several  months  in  advance  of  the  epoch  of  transplanting  the 
coffee  trees.  The  object  of  this  is  to  keep  the  soil  exposed 
for  a  time  to  the  atmospheric  influences,  before  the  young 
plants  are  definitely  located  in  it.  The  digging  of  holes  about 
the  month  of  March  is  equally  advisable,  as  it  gives  the  soil, 
which  will  closely  surround  the  roots  of  the  plants,  over  a 
month's  time  to  become  richer  by  the  atmospheric  exposure. 
The  practice  of  burning  the  fallen  trees  and  underbrush  is 
commonly  adopted,  although  experienced  planters  oppose  it, 
alleging  that  the  soil  loses  a  great  deal  of  its  moisture. 

Nurseries. — It  is  always  necessary  to  have  at  hand  a  suffi- 
cient amount  of"  almacigo,"  or  young  plants  ready  to  trans- 
plant, whenever  it  is  necessary  to  replace  a  lost  tree,  or  when 
desired  to  increase  the  acreage  of  the  plantation.  If  a  good 
quality  of  *'  almacigo  "  cannot  be  obtained  from  neighboring 
planters  to  start  at  once  the  "  cafetal  "  or  plantation,  it  be- 
comes indispensable  to  waste  a  year  making  the  nursery, 
which  should  always  be  kept. 

To  make  the  nurseries,  select  a  piece  of  level  ground  con- 
taining abundant  vegetable  soil,  with  sufficient  water  at  hand 
to  irrigate  the  seed-plots.  These  are  made  a  foot  high  and 
about  forty-eight  inches  wide,  and  must  be  entirely  free  from 
rocks,  pebbles,  or  roots  of  trees.  Between  the  plots,  small 
ditches  should  be  dug  to  permiit  the  water  to  run  through  them 
frequently.  The  best  seeds  need  to  be  chosen,  and  planted  at 
distances  of  ten  or  twelve  inches  apart ;  the  time  for  doing 
this  is  generally  at  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  season,  April 
being  the  most  convenient  month.  After  the  seeds  have  been 
placed  in  the  manner  described,  care  should  be  taken  to  keep 
the  beds  well  watered  and  protected  from  the  direct  rays  ot 
the  sun  ;  it  is  equally  important  to  keep  the  beds  perfectly  free 
from  weeds. 

Forty  days  after,  the  tree  begins  to  show  itself,  and   a  year 

76 


later  it  has  acquired  a  height  of  from  eighteen  to  twenty 
inches,  having  from  three  to  four  sets,  or  "  stories "  of 
branches. 

Shading. — Although  opinions  differ  as  to  the  convenience 
of  shading  coffee  plantations,  experience  has  sufficiently 
proven  that  the  lack  of  it  causes  the  ground  to  lose  the  re- 
quired moisture,  and  contract  to  the  point  of  cracking  the 
upper  layers  of  soil.  This  occasions  the  delicate  roots  to 
break,  and  the  trees,  losing  some  of  their  arteries,  the  nutri- 
tion becomes  scanty,  the  leaves  turn  yellow  and  fall,  and  the 
tree  itself,  with  less  vigor,  finally  fails.  To  do  away  with  this 
difficulty,  irrigation  is  recommended  by  some,  but  this  method „ 
besides  being  much  more  expensive,  causes  the  tree  to  bloom  ' 
and  yield  small  crops  during  the  year  which,  if  not  smaller  than 
the  one  crop  generally  produced,  are  undoubtedly  more  costly 
in  preparing  them  for  the  market,  as  the  abundance  of  rain 
does  not  permit  the  berry  to  be  dried  in  the  natural  way,  and 
hence  requires  the  employment  of  artificial  means  in  the 
shape  of  expensive,  machinery,  and  an  extra  disbursement  for 
fuel.  Therefore  the  best  plan  is  to  shade  the  trees,  and  for 
that  reason  it  is  convenient  to  plant  bananas  or  "  poro  ",  used 
for  this  purpose,  at  the  time  that  the  nursery  is  started,  so 
that  when  the  transplanting  is  done,  the  young  cofTee  trees 
may  find  themselves  sufficiently  protected  from  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun. 

Planting. — This  is  done  about  the  months  of  April  and. 
May,  using  the  nursery  trees  already  a  year  old.  The  holes, 
as  has  already  been  said,  having  been  dug  a  month  in  ad- 
vance are  ready  to  receive  the  young  trees,  which  are  taken 
out  of  the  nurseries.  Special  care  must  be  had  not  to  cut 
any  of  the  roots  of  the  trees  which  must  be  transplanted,  and 
to  leave  around  the  roots  a  lump  of  the  earth  in  which  the}~ 
grew,  of  about  six  inches  on  each  side  of  the  trunk.  To  put 
one  tree  into  each  hole  is  generally  the  custom,  but  some  ex- 
perts rightly  allege  that  two  trees  in  a  hole,  distant  from  each 

77 


other  about  ten  inches,  do  not  exhaust  the  soil  more  quickly 
than  one,  and  afford  the  advantage  of  obtaining  double  the 
quantity  of  coffee,  without  any  more  expense  than  that  re- 
quired for  the  planting  of  one  tree  to  each  hole. 

The  distance  at  which  the  trees  are  planted  varies  accord- 
ing to  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  but  is  usually  nine  or  ten  feet. 
The  order  in  which  they  are  placed  is  either  in  straight  paral- 
lel lines  nine  or  ten  feet  apart,  forming  squares  whose  four 
vertex  are  represented  by  a  tree  ;  or  by,  also  parallel  straight 
lines  forming  a  series  of  rhombi,  having  a  tree  at  the  vertex  of 
each  angle.  The  first  method  only  gives  two  directions  in 
which  to  plow  or  work  the  land,  while  the  second  gives  three. 

Weed-clearings,  Etc. — After  the  small  trees  have  been 
located  in  the  definite  places,  constant  care  should  be  taken 
to  keep  the  land  free  from  weeds.  The  weed-clearings,  there- 
fore, have  to  be,  for  the  first  two  years,  as  often  as  five  or  six 
times  per  year  :  after  that,  they  become  less  frequent,  as  the 
foliage  of  the  trees  prevents  the  easy  growth  of  weeds.  The 
manner  in  which  the  weed-clearing  process  is  practised  does 
away  with  the  under-brush,  and  again  affords  a  constant  in- 
crease of  the  vegetable  matter  needed  for  the  wholesome 
growth  of  the  plantation.  This  result  is  obtained  by  the  use 
of  a  large  shovel,  wide  and  thoroughly  sharpened,  which  is 
made  to  enter  below  the  roots  of  the  weeds,  lifting  them  with 
about  half  an  inch  of  earth  up  from  the  middle  of  the  row, 
and  throwing  them  on  the  side,  forming  a  continuous  heap. 
In  doing  this,  the  land  is  turned  over,  leaving  the  weeds 
buried  under  it,  thus  causing  the  weeds  to  rot  and  increasing 
the  amount  of  nourishment  required  for  the  plants.  This 
process  is  called  "  aporca." 

The  next  weed-clearing  is  done  in  a  similar  way  as  the  first, 
only  that  in  this  case  the  weeds  and  earth  taken  from  the  line 
of  the  trees  are  deposited  in  the  middle  of  the  row.  This  is 
called  "  raspa." 

The    "  aporcas "     and    "  raspas "    are    made    during    the 

78 


whole  year  alternately,  giving  the  good  results   already   men 
tioned,  and   forming  a   series    of  ditches   with  the   embanked 
earth  either  in   the  rriiddle  of  the  row,  or   on  a   line  with   the 
trees,  thus  preventing  the  rain  from   carrying   away  the  vege- 
table soil. 

Care  should  be  taken  not  to  permit  any  suckers  growing 
from  the  coffee  trees,  and  to  cut  off  the  "  guias  "  or  upper 
shoots,  so  as  to  allow  the  tree  to  become  stouter  and  more 
vigorous  ;  otherwise  the  tree  will  grow  very  tall  and  with 
comparatively  few  lateral  branches. 

Gathering  and  Preparing. — Three  years  after  the  planta- 
tion has  been  started  the  first  crop  appears,  although  naturally 
a  very  small  one  ;  but  the  older  the  tree  gets,  the  larger  the 
crop  becomes,  until  it  reaches  the*  eighth  year,  when  the  plan- 
tation has  acquired  its  fullest  development.  After  that,  and 
for  about  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  the  crops  are  more  or  less 
even. 

About  the  end  of  November,  or  the  beginning  of  December, 
the  berry  assumes  a  bright  red  color,  much  resembling  a 
cranberry,  which  indicates  that  it  is  fully  ripe  and  ready  to  be 
picked.  This  is  done  entirely  by  hand,  men,  women  and 
children  being  paid  so  much  for  every  "  canasto  "  (basket) 
they  pick.  From  the  hands  of  the  "  cojedores  "  (pickers)  the 
coffee  goes  into  a  large  depository,  and  is  then  thrown  into  a 
machine  called  "  despulpadora  "  or  crusher,  that  breaks  the 
pulp  ;  the  grain  being  then  free,  it  passes  into  a  cementitious 
tank,  where  the  saccharine  scum  that  covers  it  is  washed  off. 
This  done,  the  coffee  is  allowed  to  leave  the  tank,  and  pass 
through  narrow  cemental  or  wooden  canals  towards  large 
open  yards,  made  perfectly  level  and  smooth  by  means  of 
bricks  or  cement.  These  are  called  "patios."  When  the 
coffee  has  reached  the  "  patios  "  the  water  is  allowed  to  escape 
through  gratings,  and  the  berries  are  taken  out  and  spread 
thinly  on  the  patios,  where  they  are  left  to  dry,  until  they 
crack   under  the  pressure   of   one's   teeth.       From   there  the 

79 


coffee  is  taken  up  and  placed  in  a  husking  machine,  called 
"'  trilla,"  where  the  "  pergamino  "  (parchment)  or  second  skin 
is  detached  from  the  grain.  By  the  next  process  the  coffee  is 
put  into  a  fanning  machine,  which  clears  away  the  parchment, 
and  then  the  grain  goes  into  a  "  retrilla  "  or  polisher,  where 
the  tissue-like  skin  is  made  to  come  off.  The  "  retrilla  "  also 
polishes  and  colors  the  grain,  for  which  purpose  a  teaspoonful 
of  powdered  charcoal  made  of  cedar  or  "  poro  "  wood,  is  used 
for  each  quintal  of  coffee. 

From  the  "  retrilla  "  the  coffee  goes  again  into  a  fanning 
machine,  and  when  thoroughly  clean  passes  into  the  "  clasifi- 
cator  "  (classifier),  which  consists  of  a  revolving  cylinder  cov- 
ered with  wire  netting,  and  having  openings  of  different  sizes. 
The  coffee  is  forced  to  move  through  the  whole  length  of  the 
cylinder  by  means  of  a  spiral  lower  division  in  it,  which  car- 
ries the  grain  along  until  it  fits  itself  to  the  proper  aperture  or 
class. 

In  this  way  the  coffee  is  separated  into  a  number  of  classes, 
but  before  being  packed  for  exportation,  it  is  placed  on  large 
tables  where  women  pick  out  by  hand  all  the  black  beans, 
pebbles,  and  any  other  impurities. 

After  this,  sacking,  weighing  and  marking  are  all  that  has 
to  be  done  before  shipping  the  coffee  to  foreign  markets. 

The  following  is  an  important  official  letter  bearing  directly 
upon  coffee-culture,  and  gives  additional  valuable  informa- 
tion : 

San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  America  Central. 

Dear  Sir  : — Your  wish  to  be  posted  in  regard  to  coffee 
culture  in  Costa  Rica,  this  office  shall  hereby  comply  with 
eo  far  as  concerns  the  expenses  and  incomes  until  the  plan- 
tation yields  regular  yearly  crops.  The  calculations  cover, 
as  you  will  notice,  the  clearing,  planting,  subsequent  clean- 
ings and  picking  of  the  berries,  but  they  do  not  include  the 
subsequent  work  of  converting  the  berries  into  coffee  ready 
for  shipment  for  the  reason,  that  the  diffferent  methods  of 
curing  (beneficiar),  incur  a  corresponding  difference  in  ex- 
penses.    The  distinct  demands  of  the  different  markets  do 

80 


also,  to  a  certain  degree,  regulate  the  curing"  expenses  : 
for  instance,  the  coloring  of  the  beans,  assortment,  etc. 

Several  English  and  German  treatises  upon  coffee,  name 
more  than  twenty  varieties  of  the  article,  but  at  present  we 
shall  deal  only  with  the  Arabian  coffee,  the  one  principally 
cultivated  in  Costa  Rica.  The  few  samples  of  Liberia  (Afri- 
can) coffee  and  a  shrub  coffee  tree,  planted  as  an  ornamental 
garden  tree,  take  no  part  in  the  economical  result. 

You  will  probably  find  the  yearly  crops  quoted  consider- 
ably lower  than  expected,  but  the  office  prefers;  in  its  calcu- 
lations, to  be  on  the  safe  side.  Besides  the  question  here  is 
not  to  single  out  a  few  prosperous  years'  yield,  but  to  give 
the  average  result  for  a  series  of  years.  The  yield  can  not 
be  quoted  as  uniform  every  year,  because  the  coffee  tree, 
like  other  fruit  trees,  requires  now  and  then  a  partial  rest, 
so  that,  for  instance,  two  years'  good  crops  will,  the  third 
year,  be  followed  by  an  inferior  one.  Two  pounds  per 
tree  may  be  considered  a  very  good  average  crop,  that 
is  to  say,  twenty  centner  (qq)  per  manzana.  More  can  not 
reasonably  be  expected,  comparing  the  quantity  of  coffee 
with  that  of  cacao.  One  manzana — 500  cacao  trees — will 
average  ten  centner  beans,  although  the  cacao  tree  is  more 
than  twice  as  large  as  a  coffee  tree. 

For  further  information  I  may  refer  you  to  "  The  Text 
Book  of  Tropical  Agriculture, "  by  McMillan  &  Co.,  Lon- 
don and  New  York,  1892. 

The  original  price  paid  for  the  land,  or  its  value  before  the 
cultivation,  is  excluded  from  this  calculation,  because  the 
purchase  sum  is  indeterminable,  as  it  depends  on  the  loca- 
tion and  the  buyer's  individual  taste  and  resources. 

As  a  rule  the  planter  ought  to  superintend  the  work  in 
person  ;  if  not,  it  had  better  be  let  out  on  contract,  but  never 
left  in  day-laborers'  hands,  without  strict  surveillance.  From 
the  different  ways  in  which  the  work  is  disposed  of,  arises 
the  different  expense  accounts,  very  often  at  considerable 
variance  with  the  expectation.  As  an  example  of  contract 
work,  whereby  the  contractor  is  made  intimately  interested 
in  his  employers'  and  in  his  own  combined  welfare,  the  fol- 
lowing agreement  is  hereby  quoted  : 

A  party,  Messrs.  Rudd  &  Inksetter,  of  San  Jos6,  are  at 
jgresent  forming  a  coffee  plantation  of  75  manzanas,  at  or 
near  River  Tuis,  a  few  miles  east  of  Turrialba.  Their  con- 
tractor receives  for  the  work  $300  per  manzana  and  pro- 
vides his  own  board,  and  at  the  end  of  three  years'  steady 
work  and  attendance,  25  manzanas  out  of  the  75  as  prop- 
Si 


erty,    without  deduction   of  payment   for  tiie   land  and  the 
plantation. 

Said  owners,  Rudd  &  Inksetter,  have  then  paid  in  at  the 
end  of  three  years  : 

Purchase  money  for  75  manz.  wild  land,  say 
at   $30.00 $2,250 

Tilling,  planting,  cleaning,  etc.,  75  manz. 
during  3  years  at  $300  per  manzana  ....  22,500 

Expended  capital  without  return 24,750 

The  4th  year  the  first  regular    crop    from    50 
manzanas  at  i    pound   per  tree,  or  10  qq  per 

manzana — 500  qq  at  $30  per  qq $15,000 

The  4th  year's  expenses  and  income  : 
5  cleanings  of  50  manzas  at  $25  per  manzana  .  $1,250 
Picking  the  berries,  500  qq  at  $5  per  qq  .    .     2,500 

House  for  laborers  and  manager 200 

Fencing  with  wire  50  maz.  3,000  varas  at  $50 

for  each  300  varas 500 

One  year's  salary  to  the  manager  of  the  plan- 
tation     ' 700    5,150 

Net  income $9>85d 

The  5th  years'  crop  from  50  manz.  at  i  y^  lb. 

per  tree,  or  50  x  1 5  qq^75o  qq  at  $30  per  qq  22, 500 

The  5th  years'  expenses  : 
5  cleanings  of  50  manzanas  at  $25  per  manzana, $1,250 
Picking  of  berries  750  qq  at  $5  per  qq  .    .    .     3,750 

Repairs  on  house  and  fences,  say 200 

One  year's  salary  to  the  manager 700   5,900 

Net  income $16,000 

During  the  following  eight  years  the  annual  crop  may  be 
quoted  at  two  pounds  per  tree,  or  20  qq  per  manzana. 
After  this  time  the  regular  crops  may  drop  down  to  10  qq 
per  manzana,  and  on  neglected  plantations  as  low  as  5  qq 
per  manzana. 

As  before  said,  this  calcule  does  not  include  the  expejises 
for  converting  the  fruit  into  mercantile  beans,  because  the 
ripe  coffee  is  generally  sold  in  the  form  of  iruit  to  the  large 
establishments  (beneficios)  for  further  treatment.  Conse- 
quently, expenses  for  sacks  and  picking  belong  to  the  fruit 
buyer.      But,  if  you  prefer  to  carry  your  coffee  into  market 

82 


yourself,  the  beneficio  operator  will  return  to  you  the  ready- 
made  coffee  at  the  rate  of  i  qq  for  every  fanega  fruit.  A 
fanega  fruit  will  yield,  according  to  the  character  of  the 
coffee,  from  no  to  115  pounds  clean "  coffee.  The  surplus 
over  100  pounds  is  the  price  for  his  work. 

When  you  ask  experienced  planters'  opinion  about  the 
cost  of  coffee  planting,  they  will  not  give  a  uniform  answer. 
Fred.  Tinoco,  a  renowned  producer  of  coffee  and  sugar, 
estimates  coffee  in  first  bearing  to  have  cost  him  from  $300 
to  $500  per  manzana.  He  says,  that  besides  the  character 
and  location  of  the  soil,  the  expenses  seem  to  be  dependent 
upon  good  or  bad  luck.  The  nursery  may  miscarry,  part 
of  the  transplanted  young  trees  may  die  and  have  to  be 
restored,  etc. ;  all  mishaps  that  swell  considerably  the 
expense  list. 

Under  regular  circumstances  the  expenses  per  manzana 
may  be  quoted  as  follows  ;  not  including  the  costs  of  the 
manager's  board  and  time  : 

Clearing  and  burning  wild  plants    .    .      .    .  $30.00 

Nursery  beds,  per   1,000  plants 40.00 

Digging  1,000  holes  and  planting  1, 000  trees  40.00 
Planting  of  400  bananas  or  platano  for  shade  15.00 
400  bananas  or  platanos,  4  foot  high  .  .  .  20.00 
First     year's     assistance,     replanting     and 

cleaning 60.00    $205.00 

Second,  third  and  fourth  years  cleaning  and 

regulating  at  $25  per  year 75- 00 

Cost  of  wild  land  from  $10  to  $30 — say  $30  30.00      105.00 

Total  cost  of  land  and  plantation $310.00 

Fourth  year  yields  the  first  regular  crop,  say  10  qq  at 
at  $30  per  qq,  $300. 

Afterwards  from  1 5  to  20  qq  per  manzana. 

The. foregoing  statements  seem  to  me  sufficient  to  enable 
you  to  draw  your  conclusions  in  favor  of  a  small  or  large 
plantation.  I  shall  only  add,  that  in  case  you  prefer  day- 
work  to  contract  work,  your  nursery  trees,  ready  for  trans- 
planting, will  cost  you  about  $40  per  thousand,  and  by  your 
personal  superintendence,  you  may  save  some  of  the  con- 
tract expenses  during  the  first  three  years,  and  afterwards 
part  of  the  manager's  annual  salary. 

Experienced  planters  consider  six  laborers  and  one  boss 
sufficient,  for  a  50  manzanas  coffee  plantation,  after  it  is 
formed  and  planted.      The  picking  of  the  fruit  is,  of  course, 


and  cleanliness, 
The  raw  coffee 
Greasy  or  smell- 


an  extra  expense.  According  to  the  seasons — dry  and  wet — 
the  day  laborers  will,  boarding  themselves,  work  from  7 
o'clock,  A.  M.  to  2  o'clock  P.  M.  for  $1.00  to  $1.25,  or 
from  7  o'clock  A.  M.  to  6  o'clock  P.  M.  for  $1.50.  ^  These 
are  the  prices  paid  this  year. 

If  the  producer  (planter)  prefers  to  handle  and  ship  his 
coffee  on  his  own  acount,  it  will  be  well  for  him  to  remem- 
ber, that  in  shipment  from  seaport  to  seaport,  coffee 
must  be  treated  with  the  utmost  care 
not  to  lose  its  original  smell  and  taste, 
bean  is  in  this  respect  as  delicate  as  milk, 
ing  sacks,  smoke,  raw  hides  stored  in  the  same  vessel,  bad 
or  damp  air  rising  from  the  bottom  of  the  hull  and  con- 
densed under  the  decks — these  and  similar  lack  of  precau- 
tionary measures  may  bring  the  best  coffee  down  to  a 
lower  grade,  and  class  the  product  among  any  other  sorts 
than  the  Costa  Rican  mountain  coffee. 

Although  your  letter  does  not  call  for  the  following  in- 
formation, it  may  be  expected  that  you,  with  the  intention  of 
settling  in  Costa  Rica,  may  feel  interested  in  posting  your- 
self in  regard  to  the  current  prices  of  the  following  agricul- 
tural articles. 

Remember  that  all  money  calcules  in  this  communication 
are  made  under  the  present  course  ;  one  dollar  American 
gold  equal  to  $2.50  Costa  Rica  currency. 

List  of  Agricultural  products  and  their  present  retail  price: 


Coffee,  per  lb.  .    .....  $0.45 

Cacao,  per  lb i.oo 

Tobacco,  per  lb.  (sold 
only  by  the  Govern- 
ment)   ...     ....    2.00 


50 
20 

05 
05 
15 

4. CO 


Bananas,  per  bunch 
Platanos,  per  bunch 
Yuca,  per  lb.  .    .    . 
Tiquisque,  per  lb.  . 
Rice,   per   lb.  .    .    . 
Corn,  per  centner  . 
Field  Beans,  per  centner  8.00 
Wheat  Flour,  per  cent- 
ner      ....  10.00 

Milk,  fresh,  per  quart  .  .30 
Lobster,  i  lb.  tins  ...  .60 
Figs,  per  lb.,  in  boxes  .  .50 
Apples,  2  lb.  tins  ....  i.oo 
Cherries,  2  lb.  tins  .  ,  .  i.oo 
Raisins 60 


Oranges |o.io 

Oxmeat,  fresh,  per  lb.  .  .30 
Pork,  iresh,  per  lb.  .  .  .40 
Codfish,  per  lb.,  sallad.  .50 
Mackerel,  per  lb.,  sailed     .50 

Butter,  per  lb i.oo 

Lard,  per  lb 35 

Cheese,  per  Count,  make  .60 
Hens,  per  piece  ....  i.oo 
Chickens,  per  piece  .    .      .50 

Eggs,  9  for 50 

Sugar,  per  lb 15 

Starch,  per    lb 20 

Sardines,  j^er  box  .  .  .  .20 
Salmon,  i  lb.  tins  ...      .50 

Jellies  X  l'-3-  tins 40 

Pears,  2  lb.  tins  ....    i.oo 

Plums,  per  lb i.oo 

Milk  )4  lb.  tins 60 


Respectfully, 


John  Schroeder. 


84 


The  following  interesting  facts  are  quotations  from' an  official' 
communication,  and  are  further  conclusive  proofs  of  the  very- 
great  profit  in  a  Costa  Rica  coffee  plantation  : 

"  Ten  years  ago  the  coffee  producer  used  to  get  $io  per  quin- 
tal (loo  pounds),  and  managed  to  make  a  fortune.  The  price 
has  gradually  raised  since  that  time,  and,  during  the  last  uve 
years,  has  reached  a  price  as  high  as  $40  per  quintal. ' ' 

"  A  few  years  ago  the  Costa  Rican  coffee  was  more  appreciated 
in  London  and  Hamburg  than  in  the  United  States,  and  the  bulk 
of  No.  I  coffee  went,  therefore,  to  Europe  ;  but,  during  the  last 
few  years,  considerable  amounts  have  been  shipped  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Atlantic  ports. 

"  It  is  worth  noting  that,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  globe. 
South  India  lies  on  just  about  the  same  latitude  north  as  Costa 
Rica  ;  their  respective  growths  being  quite  similar  as  regards  the 
excellency  of  quality.  On  the  same  line  are  found,  also,  the 
Abyssinian  coflee  districts  which,  in  ancient  times,  supplied 
Persia  with  the  article. 

"  Under  regular  circumstances  the  price  of  Costa  Rican  coftee, 
in  the  markets  of  New  York  and  London,  does  not  differ  from 
the  one  obtained  for  best  qualities  of  coffee  from  other  countries 

"  Whether  the  price  of  coffee  will  be  h'glier  or  lower,  during 
the  next  ten  years,  depends  not  alone  on  the  increased  produc- 
tion during  this  period,  but  also  on  fcr;  ign  nations'  developed 
taste  for  coffee  as  a  daily  beverage  in  preference  to  tea.  Coffee  as 
a  beverage  is,  at  present,  consum  by  100,000,000  people." 

The  following  statistics  may  help  to  foretell  the  prospects  of 
coffee  in  the  future. 

Average  Consumptiori 
per  Head. 

France 2.73  pounds 

Belgium 13.48 

Switzerland 7-03 

Russia,   European 0.19 

Sweden 6. 11 

Norway 9.80 

Denmark ^3-89 

Holland 21.00 

Germany 3-94 

Austria .' 2.13 

Greece    . 1.24 

Italy .     ...     1. 00 

United  Kingdom i.oo 

United  States  .    .    .    .    .^ 7.61 

85 


"As  in  Denmark  and  Sweden,  alone,  during  four  years,  the 
increased  consumption  has  been  1.50  pounds  per  head,  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  other  countries,  with  the  comparative 
small  consumption  of  from  one  to  two  pounds  per  head,  may  do 
likewise. 

"The  Costa  Rica  coffee  has,  during-  the  last  years,  obtained 
high  prices.  This  success  has  induced  the  planting  of  consider- 
ably large  tracts  with  new  coffee  ;  but  a  large  share  of  these 
crops  will  not  enter  into  the  markets  of  the  world  for  three 
or  four  years,  so  that  price  of  coffee  will  not  be  materially  dis- 
turbed during  the  same  period. 

"A  capital  of  $25,000  American  gold  invested  in  a  coffee 
plantation  of  200  manzanas  wall,  six  years  after  the  planting,  have 
produced  a  real  estate  of  $100,000  American  gold," 

Synopsis  of  the  plantations,  number  of  coffee  trees,  their  yield 
and  value  in. the  whole  Republic  of  Costa  Rica  : 

Number       Number         Harvest  Harvest 
Years.           of                  of                      in  in 

Plantations.  Coffee  Trees.   Centals.  Kilos. 
1883 


Value 

in 
Dollars. 


1S84 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
180-; 


7>49o   23,446,278  405,053  18,632,438 


,925>33o 


7,607   25,248,686  307,440  14,142,240   5,656,892 


7,831 
8,130 
8,232 
8,366 
8,595 


26,093,461 
26,558,251 
26,680,907 
26,911,078 
26,282,874 


338,352 
333,632 

363,673 
378,224 

331,758 


15,564,192 
15,347,072 
16,728,958 

17,398,704 
15,160,878 


7,782,096 

7,573,365 
10,893,240 
10,954,744 
11,611,530 


Total 2,458,132   112,974, 


,397,197 


Bananas, 


Of  the  exportable  articles  of  Costa  Rica,  the  next  in  im- 
portance to  coffee  is,  undoubtedly,  the  banana.  Its  cultivation 
was  begun  on  the  Atlantic  coast  in  1879,  and  originated  from 
the  inducement  offered  in  the  easy  transportation  afforded  by 
a  railroad,  which  traveled  across  a  small  section  of  the  coun- 
try, admirably  suited  to  this  business. 

Whether  it  was  due  to  the  commercial  caution  of  the 
people,  who   avo^d  venturing   largely  in  a  new  enterprise,  or 

86 


because  they  did  not  imagine  an  article,  which  was  so  common 
and  so  Hghtly  appreciated  in  their  own  country,  could  attain 
so  great  a  value  in  foreign  markets,  the  fact  is  that  the  culti- 
vation of  bananas  began  on  a  very  small  scale. 

The  first  three  hundred  and  sixty  bunches  of  bananas, 
which  were  exported  to  the  United  States  in  1880,  proved  that 
bananas  could  become  a  new  source  of  wealth  to  the  country, 
and  the  Government  promptly  ceded  liberal  grants  of  land  to 
those  who  were  willing  to  develop  the  industry.  ^  The  results 
can  be  well  judged  by  the  following  table,  which  shows  the 
number  of  bunches  exported  from  1883  to  1889  and  their 
value. 

Years.  Number  of  Bunches.     Value  of  Bananas. 

1883 110,801  $55,400 

1884 420,000  336,000 

1885 401,183  302,457 

1886 595>97o  476,775 

1887  889,517  669,544 

1888 854,588  530,765 

1889 990,898  569,020 

Total  ....  4,262,957  $2,939,961 

In  1888  there  were  already  sixty-one  extensive  banana 
plantations,  and  a  large  number  of  minor  ones,  which  pro- 
duced 896,245  bunches,  valued  at  $537,74/. 

This  infant  industry  is  getting  to  be  more  important  ever}- 
day.  The  bananas,  which  grow  spontaneously  in  the  tropical 
countries,  have  been,  since  1879,  an  article  of  foreign  com- 
merce. Before,  they  were  planted  in  the  coffee  plantations  to 
shade  the  young  trees  and  shelter  the  grains  from  the  winds, 
that  would  sweep  down  the  unmatured  berry.  The  fruit  of 
the  banana  was  used  to  feed  pigs,  or  grew  without  any  culti- 
vation in  the  mountains  and  plains,  thus  going  into  absolute 
waste.  The  laboring  classes  in  those  countries  generally  kept 
a  few  plants  in  their  back  yards  and  used  the  green  fruit, 
boiled  with  salt,  or  roasted  on  hot  coals,  instead  of  bread. 
The  varieties  of  bananas  are  great,  there  being   some   twentx'- 

87 


five  or  thirty  classes.  The  better  ones  are,  when  perfectly- 
ripe,  baked  in  an  oven  with  a  slow  fire,  after  being  peeled  and 
buttered  along  a  longitudinal  incision  which  is  made  in  the 
fruit ;  thus  prepared,  it  becomes  a  delicious  food.  The  pro- 
duction of  this  article,  which  was  thus  limited,  has  been  greatly 
increased,  due  to  the  American  fruit  companies,  who  began 
to  send  vessels  to  Mexico,  Central  America,  Columbia, 
Guianas  and  West  Indies,  making  monthly  trips,  and  paying 
fancy  prices  for  the  fruit.  The  sudden  rise  in  the  price  of  an 
article  which  was,  for  those  people  almost  without  any  value, 
induced  them  to  start  small  plantations.  The  success  ob- 
tained by  the  trial,  together  with  the  moderate  amount  of  capi- 
tal, labor  and  enterprise  required,  encouraged  them  and  some 
foreign  firms  to  establish  large  plantations.  These  are  generally 
located  near  the  railroad  lines,  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  or  on 
the  coast,  thus  saving  labor  and  expense  for  transportation, 
^nd  too  much  handling  of  the  fruit.  The  lands  chosen  for 
the  production  of  the  banana  are  those  that  contain  extensive 
alluvial  deposits,  composed  chiefly  of  blue  clay  impregnated 
with  marine  salt,  and  rich  in  decomposed  vegetable  matter. 
On  the  large  plantations,  where  more  capital  is  used  and  the 
labor  is  better  organized,  it  can  be  noticed  that  the  trees  are 
planted  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  apart,  in  the  form  of  squares, 
and  where  irrigation  is  required,  trenches  are  dug  between  to 
admit  the  water  passing  through  them  as  often  as  it  is  neces- 
sary. In  places  where  the  rain  is  abundant,  or  where  the  soil 
is  damp,  the  bananas  grow  best. 

It  is  generally  at  the  end  of  nine  months  that  the  plants 
mature,  and  after  that  time  the  fruit  can  be  gathered  every 
week  in  the  year,  provided  the  plantation  has  been  well  kept 
and  has  had  a  good  start.  At  that  time  the  trunk  of  the  tree 
attains  a  height  of  from  eight  to  ten  feet,  and  is  about  thirty- 
six  inches  in  girth.  From  the  trunk,  which  is  porous,  and 
yields  an  excellent  fiber,  are  thrown  out  palm-like  branches  to 
the  number  of  half  a  dozen   or  more.     The  bunch  of  fruit 

88 


appears  at  the  junction  ot  the  trunk  and  branches,  and  con- 
sists of  from  four  to  twelve  of  what  are  termed  "  hands,"  each 
hand  having  eight  or  twelve  bananas  on  it.  A  bunch  of  eight 
"  hands  "  or  clusters  is  counted  as  a  full  bunch  ;  while  those, 
that  have  from  five  to  seven  are  taken  as  half  bunches ;  bunches, 
with  less  than  five  hands  are  styled  third  class  ;  the  others^ 
respectively,  first  and  second  class.  From  the  root  of 
this  tree  several  shoots  or  "  suckers  "  sprout,  each  of  which 
in  turn  becomes  a  tree,  and  bears  a  bunch  of  bananas  ;  these 
may  be  transplanted.  After  the  bunch  has  been  cut  the  tree 
is  usually  felled.  In  fact,  planters  generally  cut  the  tree  in- 
order  to  gather  the  fruit. 

The  manner  in  which  the  banana  is  cultivated  is  certainly 
the  easiest,  as  very  little  skill  or  labor  is  demanded,  nature 
doing  almost  all  the  work.  The  first  cost  of  planting  an  acre 
of  land  is  from  ;^50  to  ^60,  the  production  being  from  600  tO' 
800  bunches  to  the  acre,  which  makes  a  cost  of  about  seven 
or  eight  cents  per  bunch.  These  are  sold  on  the  plantations 
to  the  American  fruit  companies  for  from  fifty  to  sixty  cents,, 
American  gold.  They  in  turn  sell  them  in  this  country  for 
from  one  to  three  dollars  per  bunch. 

It  is  calculated  that  a  vessel  with  a  dead-weight  capacity  of 
tjOOO  tons  could  carry  a  cargo  of  20,000  bunches.  It  is 
already  a  known  fact  that  the  loss  on  the  voyage  rarely  ex- 
ceeds fifteen  per  cent. ;  therefore,  if  the  balance  were  to  be  sold 
at  the  low  price  of  one  dollar  per  bunch,  the  profit  made  on 
the  trip  on  the  cargo  of  bananas  only,  without  calculating  at  all 
the  profits  that  could  be  had  carrying  passengers  and  mails,, 
would  amount  to  no  less  than  ;^7,ooo  after  the  payment  of  all 
the  expenses. 

The  estimated  loss  of  fifteen  per  cent,  which  the  vessel  suf- 
fers, could  be  greatly  diminished  if  there  were  better  facilities  of 
transportation  in  those  countries,  where  the  bananas  are  taken 
from  the  plantations  to  be  loaded  on  trains,  small  steamers,  or 
canoes,  on  springless  carts,  or  on  the  heads  of  the   laborers. 

89 


The  bananas  intended  for  exportation  are  cut  while  they  are 
^reen,  stowed  in  the  vessel  carefully,  and  in  such  a  way  as  to. 
permit  the  air  to  circulate  freely,  and  to  avoid  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  which  would  ripen  the  fruit  before  it  reached  its  destina- 
tion. Any  slight  bruise  made  on  the  skin  of  a  green  banana', 
idthough  apparently  unnoticeable  at  first,  develops  in  the  ripe 
fruit  into  a  black  spot,  w^hich  tends  to  lessen  the  value  of  the 
fruit  in  the  market. 

As  it  is  generally  the  case,  that  the  fruit  produced  for 
exportation  in  tropical  countries,  finds  ready  purchasers  in  the 
])lanters,  who  pay  for  it  at  the  moment  of  its  delivery,  and 
ship  it  to  the  markets  of  the  United  States  in  their  own  vessels, 
there  is  no  established  rate  of  freight  on  bananas.  The  owners 
of  the  vessels  usually  share  the  risk  on  such  cargoes  with  the 
insurance  companies. 

lexpenee  of  Banana  probuctione  an^  profits. 

To  better  illustrate  the  profitable  business  that  can  be  made 
by  planting  bananas,  an  estimate  of  the  expenses  and  produc- 
tion of  a  plantation  of  69  acres  (40  "  manzanas  ")  is  given 
below,  taking  into  consideration,  at  the  same  time,  the  various 
difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  tropical  countries,,  such  as 
bad  roads,  scarcity  of  labor,  high  prices  of  seed,  etc. 

Esthnates  of  Richard  Villafranca,  consul-general  of  Costa  Rica, 
which  were  submitted  to,  and  approved  by  the  superintendent 
of  the  Costa  Rica  Railroad. 

Expenses    of  planting  a    manzana  of  land   (1:7242    acres)  first 
year  : 

(i)  Cutting  down  the  underbrush,  burning,  and 

clearing $35-oo 

(2)  Price  of  270  suckers,  at  $25  per  thousand   ■  6.75 

Five  weed  clearings,  at  $7   each 35- 00 

Total  cost  for  the  first  year $76.75 

90 


Expenses   made  on  40   manzanas  (69  acres)  of  land, 
according  to  the  foregoing  estimate  : 

Clearing,  planting,  etc.,  on  40  manzanas,  at 

$76.75   each $3,070.00 

Board  and  other  expenses  of  an  overseer,  for 

12  months,  at  $30  a  month 360.00 

(3)  Interest  on  $3,430  in  12  months,  at  6   per 

cent,  a    year 205.80 

Total  cost  for  the  first  year  .    ....  $3,635.80 
Board  and  other  expenses  of  an  overseer,  for 

12   months 360.00 

(4)  Four  weed  clearing,  at  $280  each 1,120.00 

(5)  Cutting  down  54,000  bunches,  at  2^c.  each  1,350.00 

Cost  of  a  portable  house 1,000.00 

Plows  and  other  agricultural  implements  .  500.00 

(6)  Interest  on  $7,965.80,  at  6  per  cent,  a  year  477-95 

Total  cost  at  the  end  of  the  second  vear  .      $8,443.75 


INCOME  DERIVED  FROM  THE  ABOVE    PLANTATION. 

40  manzanas,  with   270  suckers  each,  equal  to 

10,800  suckers  ;   10,800  suckers  yielding  5 

bunches    each,  equal    to    54,000   bunches; 

54,000  bunches,  sold  at  50  cents  each,  make  $27,000.00 

Deducting  all  of  the  expenses  made  in  the 

two  years 8,443.75 


(7)   Leaves  a  net  profit  at  the  end  of  the  second 

year,  of $18,556.25 


NOTES. 

(i)  The  estimated  cost  of  $76.75  per  manzana  occurs  when 
the  land  is  cleared,  burned,  etc.,  before  planting  ;  but  it  would 
only  amount  to  $60  or  $65  if  the  planting  were  done  first  and 
the  clearing  after. 

(2)  The  best  results  are  obtained  when  the  trees  are  planted 
eighteen  feet  apart  ;  thus  it  would  necessitate  only  270  suckers 
to  one  manzana. 

(3)  This  plantation  is  supposed  to  be  started  by  a  person  who. 
having  only  money  enough  to  buy  the  land,  is  compelled  to 
mortgage  the  property  to  secure  funds  to  improve  the  same  ; 
therefore  it  is  calculated  that  he  is  paying  an  interest  of  six  per 
cent,  a  year  and  not  eight  or  ten,  because  the  $3,430  is  the  total 

91 


<expense  of  the  first  year,  which  ag^gregates  in  small  amounts 
'every  month.     The  same  i>  applicable  to  the  second  year. 

(4)  The  weed  clearings  of  the  second  year  are  neither  as  fre- 
•quent  nor  expensive,  as  the  banana  plant  is  fully  developed  and 
its  heavy  foliage  stops  somewhat  the  growth  of  the  weed. 

(5)  This  item  is  very  much  exaggerated,  as  a  man  can  easily 
■cut  down  a  bunch  in  less  than  half  a  minute  ;  but  in  order  to  give 
the  laborers,  who  usually  work  ten  hours  a  day,  the  amplest 
time  to  rest,  smoke,  and  take  their  meals,  it  is  here  calculated 
that  they  cut  down  only  one  bunch  every  fiften  minutes,  or  forty 
a  day,  for  which  work  they  get  one  dollar  ;  thus  the  cutting  of 
one  bunch  costs  two  and  one-half  cents. 

(6)  The  samejreasons  expressed  in  Note  3  are  good  in  this  case, 
with  the  only  difference,  perhaps,  that  in  this  instance  the 
amount  calculated  for  interest  could,  without  danger,  be  stricken 
out,  as  the  plantation  has  been  in  a  state  of  productiveness  since 
the  tenth  month  after  it  was  started,  and  no  merit  has  been  made 
of  the  profits  obtained  in  that  period  of  time  from  the  tenth 
month  to  the  twenty-third. 

(7)  The  amount  of  $18,556.25  represents  the  clear  profits  real- 
ized up  to  the.end  of  the  second  year.  In  this  estimate  are  not 
included  the  profits  derived  from  the  sale  of  bananas  from  the 
tenth  month  to  the  twenty-fourth ;  nor  those  obtained  from 
planting  a  great  many  other  fruits,  such  as  lemons,  limes,  pine- 
apples, cocoanuts,  oranges,  maranones,  cocoa,  etc.,  all  of  which 
necessitate  hardly  any  extra  expense  to  plant  and  keep  in  good 
condition,  giving  on  the  other  hand  the  most  flattering  results. 

Most  of  the  bananas  grown  in  those  countries,  whose  names 
have  been  already  mentioned,  are  shipped  to  the  United  States, 
the  greater  part  of  them  going  to  New  Orleans,  Baltimore, 
Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  New  York  ;  from  these  ports  they 
are  distributed  throughout  the  States. 

As  has  already  been  said,  to  start  a  banana  plantation  re- 
quires very  little  skill,  labor  or  anxiety.  After  securing  a  suit- 
able piece  of  ground,  located  as  near  as  possible  to  a  navigable 
river  or  a  railroad,  the  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  clear  away 
the  underbrush ;  then  dig  the  holes  at  distances  of  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  feet,  forming  squares  in  which  the  vertices  of 
the  four  right  angles  correspond  to  one  hole,  wherein  a  plant 
or  sucker  is  placed  and  covered  with  a  small  layer  of  earth. 

If  the  land  is   mountainous,  the  trees  may  be   felled  either 

92 


before  or  after  planting  the  bananas.  Each  of  these  methods 
lias  its  advantages.  If  the  land  be  cleared  after  planting,  there 
will  be,  naturally,  some  loss  occasioned  by  trunks  falling  on 
the  young  plants  ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  the  plantation  has 
been  advancing  while  the  clearing  was  being  done,  and  the 
saving  of  time  well  repays  the  destruction  of  the  few  plants 
which  may  be  buried  under  the  fallen  trees.  The  second  plan 
delays  the  starting  ot  the  plantation,  and,  consequently,  defers 
the  period  for  gathering  the  first  crop. 

Five  weed-clearings  the  first  year,  and  three  or  four  during 
each  of  the  succeeding  years,  are  all  that  are  required  to  keep 
the  plantation  in  a  good  state  of  productiveness.  After  the 
second  year  the  trees  are  fully  developed,  and  the  amount  of 
shade  thrown  prevents  a  luxuriant  growth  of  underbrush  ;  thus 
the  weed-clearings  are  needed  less  frequently. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  year  the  crop  is  abundant,  and 
the  only  labor  required  to  gather  it  is  to  fell  the  tree.  For 
this  purpose  one  or  two  oblique  cuts  are  bestowed  on  the 
trunk  with  a  large,  sharp  knife,  which  forces  it  to  bend  at  once 
beneath  the  weight  of  its  ripened  burden.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that,  in  the  spot  where  one  tree  has  fallen,  two  or  three 
others  immediately  spring  into  existence  (often  in  less  than  a 
week),  and  as  they  thrive  and  bear  fruit  equally  well  at  all 
times  of  the  year,  there  can  be  a  repetition  of  banana-cutting 
once  or  twice  a  week,  according  to  the  size  of  the  plantation. 

The  above  instructions,  and  a  little  care  in  handling  the 
bunches  of  bananas  are  all  the  enterprise  requires  to  obtain 
the  excellent  results  already  shown. 

The  following  is  a  quotation  from  an  official  letter  from 
Costa  Rica : 

"A  lOO  manzana  banana  plantation,  free  from  any  combina- 
tion with  coffee  or  cacao,  will  yearly  produce  250  bunches  per 
manzana  fit  for  export — 2  5 ,000  bunches  per  year.  The  smaller 
bunches  not  suitable  for  sale,  probably  from  50  to  100  bunches 
per  manzana,  have  to  be  used  on  the  farm  for  cattle  and  hogs. 

93 


"  During  the  first  five  years  of  its  growth,  the  banana  pro- 
duces export  bunches  (racimos).  Afterwards  their  size  de- 
creases, and  hence  the  quahty  needed;  in  this  case  they  are 
utihzed  for  home  consumption. 

"  In  order  to  keep  the  saleable  stock  up  to  25,000  bundles, 
it  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  increase  the  plantation  every  year 
with  20  manzanas  of  new  plants.  The  old  part  of  the  planta- 
tion, that  yearly  drops  out,  is  generally  converted  into  pas- 
tures (potrero)." 

Bunches  of  bananas  exported  during  1884  were  425,000  ; 
in  1893,  1,150,000  bunches  were  sent  out  of  the  country; 
making  a  total  in  the  ten  years  of  8,650,000  bunches, 

^ablc  of  Banana  JMantattone* 


HARVESTS    AND    VALUE. 

1890. 

Yield 

Value 

Number. 

Names  of  Farms. 

in  Bunches. 

in  Dollars. 

I 

America 

9>295 

$3,295 

2 

Arta 

2,149 

743 

3 

Amistad 

28 

8 

4 

Angelina 

13,191 

4,921 

5 

Babilonia 

38,431 

16,717 

6 

Bornemann 

20,649 

7,846 

7 

Brooklyn 

24,097 

10,002 

8 

Cabana 

1,133 

321 

9 

Concepcion 

13,298 

4,324 

10 

Cinarrones 

3,789 

1,062 

II 

Cartaeo 

5,226 

2,295 

12 

Costa  Rica 

18,164 

6,893 

13 

Colombiana 

16,556 

6,510 

14 

Cristina 

15,785 

5,418 

15 

Cubero 

270 

100 

16 

Celina 

7,647 

2,487 

17 

Constancia 

59 

26 

18 

Cultepper 

27,191 

10,742 

19 

Cairo 

6,053 

2,093 

20 

Corinto 

3,741 

1,170 

21 

Cacao 

3,807 

1.307 

22 

Cosme  Peralta 

2,267 

852 

23 

Dos  Novillos 

8,607 

3,238 

94 


Table  of  Banana  Plantations.  —  Continued. 


Yield 

Value 

Number. 

Names  of  Farms. 

in  Bunches. 

in  Dollars. 

24 

Destino 

266 

80 

25 

Estrella 

1,924 

748 

26 

Experienca 

14,347 

4,665 

27 

Emilia 

14,310 

5,164 

28 

Esmeralda 

14,790 

5,452 

29 

Freehold 

19,214 

6,196 

30 

Foxhall 

8,910 

3,461 

31 

Flores 

433 

144 

32 

Guapiles 

18,931 

6,388 

33 

Granja 

4,025 

1,253 

34 

Glencairns 

271 

85 

35 

Guasimo 

27,515 

10,591 

36 

Hogar 

17,638 

6,468 

37 

Hirroquois 

13,236 

5,630 

38 

Irazu 

7,198 

2,395 

39 

Juanita 

58 

18 

40 

Livertad 

1,410 

495 

41 

Lola 

12,134 

4,631 

42 

Libano 

4,887 

1,588 

43 

Miller 

3,937 

1,220 

44 

Maria 

6,008 

2,389 

45 

Mullner 

32,661 

12,663 

46 

Molino 

19,354 

6,470 

47 

Montesano 

283 

70 

48 

Mercedes 

7,501 

2,888 

49 

Malvonia 

691 

220 

50 

28  Mile 

150 

48 

51 

28  Mile 

153 

53 

52 

New  Prospect 

7,272 

2,327 

53 

Numancia 

13,486 

4,090 

54 

New  York 

7,428 

2,460 

55 

Otillia 

4,721 

1,613 

56 

Palnira 

14,319 

4,428 

57 

Pacifica 

19,284 

6,428 

58 

Parlsmina 

8,920 

3,049 

59 

Providencia 

6,947 

2,370 

60 

Pepilla 

3,462 

1,310 

61 

Panchita 

200 

67 

62 

Rosario 

4,467 

1,580 

63 

Runnebaum 

11,678 

4,647 

64 

Reventazon 

14,117      ' 

5,321 

65 

Riatti 

6,444 

2,443 

.95 


Table  of  Banana  Plantations.  —  Continued. 


Yield 

Value 

umber. 

Names  of  Farms. 

in  Bunches. 

in  Dollars, 

66 

Rio  Verde 

12,428 

4,262 

67 

Rio  Hondo 

8,204 

3,194 

68 

San  Nicolas 

10,286 

3.968 

69 

Siquirres 

20,153 

7,553 

70 

Salvador 

7>577 

2,505 

71 

San  Jose  Creek 

1,070 

315 

72 

Santa  Clara 

4,822 

1,707 

73 

Santa  Ines 

435 

146 

74 

Selva 

6,305 

2,227 

75 

Turrialba 

7,744 

3,011 

76 

Toro  Amarillo 

44 

13 

77 

Williamsburg 

20,863 

8,095 

78 

Varias  fincas  pequenas 
Total,               r 

374,901 

142,986 

,091,025 

$405,672 

Cocoa. 

(Cocoa  or  Thesbrama.) 

Although  this  article  is  not  sufficiently  cultivated  now  to 
rank  among  the  leading  products,  whose  exportation  add  a 
notable  increase  to  the  wealth  of  the  country,  yet  its  adapti- 
bility  to  various  regions  in  Costa  Rica,  its  excellent  quality^ 
the  small  amount  of  labor  required  to  grow  it,  its  longevity, 
and  finally,  the  large  profits  derived  from  it,  are  all  favorable 
points  which  enable  us  to  predict  that  soon  the  cacao  industry 
will  fairly  rival  that  of  bananas,  and,  perhaps,  even  that  of 
coffee.  The  Government  of  Costa  Rica  are  fully  aware  of 
this  fact,  and  liberal  inducements  are  offered  to  all  who  are 
willing  to  develop  this  avenue  of  wealth. 

Large  plantations  of  this  industry  were  worked,  many  years 
ago,  in  the  valley  of  Martina,  and  great  quantities  of  the 
article  were  exported  ;  the  enterprise  was  abandoned,  however, 
partly  through  lack  of  transportation  facilities,  and  partly 
through  fear  of  the  Mosquito  Indians  and  pirates,  who  invaded 
the  region. 

96 


Cacao  and  other  valuable  products  have  received  but  little 
attention  in  Costa  Rica,  since  coffee  plantations  began  to  ab- 
sorb all  the  time  and  capital ;  the  efforts  in  this  latter  direction 
have  been  so  well  compensated,  the  planters  have  had  no 
occasion  to  enter  largely  into  new  enterprises,  even  although 
so  thoroughly  profitable  as  cacao  has  been  proven  to  be. 
As  has  been  already  stated  in  previous  tables,  cacao  is  culti- 
vated at  present  in  the  following  countries  :  Aserri  (San  Jose), 
Atenas  and  Naranjo  (Alajuela),  Heredia  (Heredia),  Paraiso 
(Cartago),  in  the  whole  of  Guanacaste,  in  Golfo  Dulce  (Pun- 
tarenas)  and  in  Limon. 

Cacao  Exported  from    1884  to   1889. 

Years.  j\)unds.          Value  in  Dollars. 

1884 9,927  $3,227 

1885 16,271  4,084 

1886 .  5,776  2,223 

1887 10,906  4,708 

1888 18,410  3,576 

1889 28,830  12,386 

Total 90,110  $30,276 

The  number  of  plantations  regularly  established  up  to  1888 
was  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight,  having  in  all  56,426  trees 
that  yielded  in  the  same  year,  331,900  pounds,  valued  at 
$165,770,  as  follows: 

Provinces  Number  of    Number  of      Number  of         Value 

and  Counties.         Plantations.        Trees.  Pounds.  in  Money. 

Naranjo  (Alajuela)  .    .       9  1,142  5,600  $2,800 

Heredia  (Heredia)  .    .       7  452  1,800  720 

Limon 182  54,832  324,500  162,250 

Total  .    .  198  56,426         331,900       $165,770 

Besides  the  plantations  just  mentioned,  there  is  a  large  num- 
ber of  small  plots  of  which  there  is  no  official  record.  Nat- 
ural forests  are  also  found  where  cacao  grows  in  a  wild  state. 
Thus  far,  the  amount  of  cacao  cultivated  has  not  been  enough 
to  supply  local  demands,  and  though  small   quantities   are  ex- 

97 


ported  annually  (perhaps  due  to  commercial  combinations) , 
instead  of  having  a  surplus  with  which  to  furnish  foreign 
markets,  merchants  in  Costa  Rica  have  been  forced  to  import 
comparatively  large  amounts  of  an  article,  which  can  be  so 
easily  grown  in  the  territory  of  the  Republic. 

The  cocoa  produced  in  1888  amounted  to  ^165,770,  of 
which  ^3,576  was  exported,  leaving  for  home  consumption 
^162,194  worth  of  the  article.  But  this  was  not  enough,  and 
during  the  year,  ^26,991  worth  was  imported;  therefore  the 
amount  consumed  within  the  country  may  be  estimated  at 
^189,185. 

"  A  law  passed  by  the  government,  declares  a  premium  of 
twenty-five  cents  to  be  paid  for  every  tree,  planted  after  the  date 
of  the  issue  of  said  law,  when  the  plantation  has  reached  the 
age  of  three  years,  if  in  good  condition.  By  this  recent  law 
the  premiums  will  begin  to  fall  due  during  the  latter  part  of 
J897." 

Cacao  ifarmino. ' 

San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  America  Central. 

Dear  Sir : — Letters  asking  a  minute  explanation  of  the 
■culture  of  cacao,  the  expenses  and  the  final  result  of  same, 
this  office  shall  hereby  try  to  answer,  in  a  general  way,  by 
giving  a  brief  account  of  cacao  farming  during  a  period 
of  sixteen  years.  The  space  in  a  letter  will  not  allow  full 
■detail  of  the  nature,  or  expenses  of  the  various  works  done 
■every  year,  but  enough  will  be  quoted  to  enable  the  reader 
to  decide,  if  he  has  the  means  required  for  making  a  plan- 
tation alone,  or  if  he  had  better  join  in  company  with 
partners, 

I  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  nearly  all  pamphlets  treat- 
ing the  cacao  question  have  exaggerated  the  amount  of 
yearly  crops,  quoting  as  an  average  eight  pounds  per  tree 
and  even  more.  In  the  present  account  the  average  crop  is 
quoted  at  two  pounds,  and  the  value  at  twenty  cents  in  gold 
per  pound,  although  the  Costa  Rican  cacao  can  not  be  ob- 
tained here  under  forty  cents  in  gold  per  pound  on  account  of 
its  excellency.  The  poorer  classes  drink  a  cheaper  cacao 
imported  to  Costa  Rica  from  South  America.  Parties  with 
limited  capital  had  better  go  into  cacao  and  cofiee  planting, 


instead  of  cultivating  the  coarser  grain  stuffs  on  a  large 
scale  as  sale  products. 

There  is  always  a  call  for  coffee  and  cacao,  and  the  culti- 
vation itself  is  classed  as  gentlemen  farming,  leaving  plenty 
of  time  for  outside  business,  while  the  cultivation  of  grain 
and  breadstuffs  requires  a  yearly  tilling  of  the  soil,  combined 
with  heavy  expenses  from  farm-hands  and  animals. 

A  200  manzanas  cacao  farm,  with  about  125  manzanas 
(217  acres)  covered  with  cacao,  is  considered  very  large. 
According  to  your  own  or  your  friends'  means,  you  may  cut 
down  the  number  of  manzanas  and  proportionate  the  ex- 
penses and  amount  of  crop. 

The  calculations  below  are  made  in  Costa  Rica  currency. 
At  present  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  Costa  Rica  currency 
are  equal  to  one  dollar  American  gold.  Labor  wages  have 
not  increased  in  proportion,  the  difference  hardly  being 
twenty -five  cents  Costa  Rica  currency  per  day.  The  reason 
for  this  small  incease  may  be  attributed  partly  to  the  fact, 
that  the  people  at  large  consider  the  intrinsic  value  of  their 
silver  dollar  to-day,  the  same  as  before.  The  following 
calculation  was  made  two  years  ago,  when  one  dollar  and  a 
half  was  equal  to  one  dollar  in  American  gold. 

CACAO  CULTURE  ON  SHARES. 

500  shares,  each  one  of  $40.00  Costa  Rica  currency, 
$20,000  payable  by  yearly  instalments  during  the  first  five 
years  : 

Expense.        Income. 

Payment  on  500  shares,  at  f  10  per  share fo,ooQ 

Amount    paid  on  purchase  of  200  manz.,    at  $10 

per  manz $2,000 

Total  expense  for  culture  and  houses 2,500 

Cash  deposited  with  the  company's  treasurer  .    .    .       500 

ist  year's  plantation,  10,000  trees  on  25  manz.  Total,  |5,ooo        fc,ooo ' 

Payment    on    shares,    15,000  —  deposit    from    ist 

year,  I500 l5,5oo 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc fo)00o 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 2,500 

2d  year's  plantation,  10,00  trees  on  25  manz.  Total,  15,500        $5,500 

Payment    on    shares,  $5,000  —  Deposit    from     2d 

year,  $2,500 $7,5oo 

2,500  bunches  plantains,  $312  ;  120  cent,  corn,  $200,  512 

Total  expense  for  culture,  houses  and  horses  .    .    .  $3,410 
Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 4,602 

3d  year's  plantation,  10,000  trees  on  25  manz.  Total,  $8,012        $8,012 

99 


Payment   on    shares,    ^2,500  —  Deposit    from    3d 

year,  $4,602 #7,  i<^2 

3,000  bunches  plantains,  $625  ;  corn,  $200   ....  825 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  houses,  etc 13.43'^' 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 4>497 

4th  year's  plantation,  10,000  trees  on  25  manz.  Total,  17,927        |7,927 

Payment    on  shares,    $2,500  —  Deposit   from  4th 

year,  $4,497  ....•' |6.997 

7.500  bunches  plantains,  $937  ;  corn,   $200  ....  i,i37 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $3,530 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 4,604 

5th  year's  plantation,  io,oootreeson25manz.  Total,  $8,134        $8,134 

All  shares  paid  up  ;  deposit  from  5th  year,  $4,604  .  $4,604 

To,ooo  bunches  plantains,   $1,250 ;  corn,  $200  .    .    .  i>45" 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $2,920 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T- 3»i34 

No  more  new  plantation.    Total $6,054        $6,054 

Deposit  from  6th  year ^3,i34 

10,000    bunches    plantains,    $1,250;    corn    $200; 

cacao,  50  centner,  $2,500 3,95° 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $2,765 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  to  per  cent 2,000 

Cash  depost  with  C.  T 2,319 

Dividend  paid  with  $2,000.     Total $7,084        $7,084 

Deposit  from  7th  year $2,319 

10,000    bunches    plantains,    $1,250;    corn,    $200; 

cacao,  150  centner,  $7,500 -^,950 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $3,425 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  20  per  cent 4,000 

Cash  deposit  with  C.  T 3.844 

Dividend  paid   with  $4,000.     Total $11,269      $11,269 

Deposit  from  8th  year ^,§44 

5,000  bunches  plantains,  $625  ;  corn,  ?2oo  ;  cacao, 

250  centner,  $12,500 13.325 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  sacks,  drying  ma- 
chine, etc $7,665 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  20  ]-)er  cent 4,000 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 5, 504 

Dividend  paid  with  $4,000.     Total $17,169      $17,169 

Deposit  from  9th  year $5>504 

2,500  bunches  plantains,  $312;  corn,  $200;  cacao, 

350   centner,  $17,500 18,325 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $6,015 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  60  per  cent 12,000 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 5,5oi 

Dividend  paid  with  $12,000.     Total $23,516       $23,516 

100  . 


11.  Deposit  from  loth  year $5,500 

Last  crop  of  plantains,  $200  ;   no  corn  this  year  ; 

cacao,  450  centner,  ^22,500 22,700 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  sacks,  machinery,  etc.  $6,555 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  80  per  cent 16,000 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 5,645 

Dividend  paid  with  $16,000.    Total $28,200      $28,200 

12.  Deposit  from  nth  year $5,645 

Corn,  $200  ;  Cacao,  600  centner,  $30,000 30,200 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  etc $6,595 

Dividend  shares  pa«id  with  100  per  cent 20,000 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 9,250 

Dividend  paid  with  $20,000.     Total $35,845      $35,845 

13.  Deposits  from  12th  year $9,250 

Corn,  $200  ;  cacao,  700  centner 35,200 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  new  houses,  etc.  .    .    .      9,075 
Dividend  on  shares  paid  with 20,000 

Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 15, 375 

Dividend  paid  with  $20,000.     Total $44,450      $44,450 

14.  Deposits  from  13th  year $I5,375 

Corn,  $<,rx> ;  cacao,  800  centner 40,200 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  fencing,  sacks,  wagcns 

and  horses 9,o75 

Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  100  per  cent.  .    .    .    20,000 
Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 26,500 

Dividend  paid  with  $20,00.    Total $55,575      ^5.575 

15.  Deposit  from  14th  year $26,500 

Corn,  $200 ;  cacao,  900  centner,  $45,000 45>200 

Total  expenses  for  culture,  sacks,  repairs  on  fences 

and  houses $8,275 

t          Dividend  on  shares  paid  with  200  per  cent  ....    40,000 
Cash  deposited  with  C.  T 23,425 

Dividend  paid  with  $40,000.     Total $71,700      $71,700 

16.  Deposit  from  15th  year $23,425 

Corn,  $200  ;  cacao,  1,000  centner,  $50,000  ....  |_5o,20o 

Total  expenses,  for  culture,   sacks,   repairs,  etc.  .    $8,275 

Total  amount  deposited  with  company  treasurer  .    65,350 

Dividend  in  treasurer's  hands,  $65,350.     Total  .    .  $73,625      $73,625 

RECAPITULATION.. 

Capital  invested,   $20,000.      Total  dividends  paid  upon  said 
<:apital  during  16  years,  $203,350,  or  about  $12,700  per  year. 

101 


The   value  of  the  share   of  the  company's  property  the   i6tk 
year  stands  as  follows  : 

50,000  cacao  trees  at  $2  with  land |;ioo,ooo 

70  manzanas  pasture  land  at  I50 3i5oo 

Houses  with  5  manzanas  grounds 3,000 

.  Fences 1,000 

Machines  and  implements 3,000 

Wagong,  horses  and  boat 360 

Harnesses  and  saddles 100 

Furniture  for  house  and  office 190 

Total  value  of  property |iii,i5o 

You  will  have  observed,  that  any  income  from  small  items 
of  husbandry,  as  garden  stuffs,  fowls,  dairy  products,  etc. , 
is  not  quoted,  because  household  and  farm-hands  generally 
consume  them,  with  or  without  permission. 

Also  your  attention  must  certainly  have  been  drawn  to  the 
large  yearly  deposit  with  the  company  treasurer.  If  a  single 
party  is  owner  of  the  plantation,  of  course  no  deposit  is 
necessary  ;  but  in  a  share  company  a  different  arrange- 
ment has  to  be  followed.  Shareholders  may  more  or  less 
neglect  to  pay  in  due  time,  or  disunion  to  be  settled  may 
create  delay  in  payments  ;  but  the  cacao  culture  does  not 
permit  of  any  delay  in  the  settlement  of  expenses,  for  the 
plantation  will  become  crippled,  or  even  killed  under  the 
quick  tropical  vegetation.  Therefore,  a  deposit,  sufficiently 
large,  to  carry  on  the  work  under  arising  controversies,  is 
required. 

A  cacao  plantation,  similar  to  the  one  under  discussion, 
will  continue  for  an  unlimited  future  in  full  bearing  power,  if 
duly  attended  to.  Without  regular  attention,  the  trees  will 
turn  sylvan  and  their  fruit  diminish  in  quantity  or  even  dis- 
appear. If  you  or  your  friends  make  up  your  mind  to 
start  a  cacao  farm  on  shares,  then  you  had  better  elect 
arnong  yourselves  an  administrator,  who  can  always  be 
present  on  the  farm  and  conduct  the  work. 

Respectfully, 

John  Schroeder. 

riDanner  of  Cultivating  Cocoa  anb  Je0timate^ 

profit6« 

Selection  of  Land. — The  lands  best  adapted  to  the  cocoa 
or  "  cacao  "  growing  should  be  of  a  dark,  vegetable,  alluvial 


soil  slightly  mixed  with  sand  and  clay.  They  need  to  contain  a 
great  deal  of  moisture,  and  for  that  reason  level  ground,  with 
rivers  or  streams  running  through  it,  is  preferable,  as  the  rain 
water,  or  that  from  the  irrigating  ditches,  flowing  slowly,  has 
ample  time  to  penetrate  to  the  roots  of  the  trees.  Foot-hills, 
having  sufficient  moisture,  are  also  desirable,  but  it  must  be  re- 
membered that,  though  damp  soil  is  necessary  to  the  whole- 
some growth  of  the  plant,  deposits  of  water  produce  a  con- 
trary effect  and  rot  the  roots  of  the  trees.  The  temperature 
required  must  not  fall  below  74°  F.  nor  rise  above  100°  F. 
Virgin  land,  forests  especially,  is  doubtless  the  best,  as  in  it 
is  found  the  richness  of  soil  required,  and  in  case  of  forests, 
the  amount  of  shelter  necessary  for  growing  cacao,  without 
incurring  the  extra  expense  of  planting  shade. 

Preparing  the  Land. — If  the  plantation  is  to  be  started 
on  forest  land,  no  other  preparation  is  needed  except  to  clear 
away  all  the  underbrush  ;  but  if  the  land  selected  has  been 
previously  cultivated  with  other  products,  it  is  probably 
destititute  of  adequate  shading,  which  ^  must  be  at  once 
supplied. 

Shading. — This  is  absolutely  necessary  to  protect  the  trees 
from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  and,  when  not  furnished  by  nature, 
must  be  provided  at  least  six  months  in  advance  of  the  trans- 
planting of  the  cocoa  trees.  The  banana-tree  may  be  used  as  a 
provisional  shade,  and  must  be  planted  at  the  same  time  that 
the  coral-tree  (Erythrina),  generally  called  ' '  madre  de  cacao  " 
(mother  of  cocoa),  which  is  usually  the  one  adopted  as  the 
permanent  shade  tree.  The  banana  tree  grows  very  rapidly, 
thus  affording  in  time  the  required  shade  for  the  newly  trans- 
planted cocoa-trees,  but,  while  the  latter  grow  to  a  height  of 
eighteen  or  twenty  feet,  the  banana  only  reaches  that  of  eight 
or  ten  feet,  and  soon  fails  to  accomplish  the  desired  object ; 
hence  the  necessity  of  having  a  tree  like  the  "  madre  de 
cocoa,"  which  grows  as  high  as  sixty  feet. 

After   having   cleared  the   land,   and   placed   the   stakes  in 

103 


straight  parallel  lines — thirteen  or  fifteen  feet  apart — to  indi- 
cate the  spot  where  the  cocoa-trees  are  to  be  inserted,  the 
planting  of  the  banana-trees  is  done;  these  are  arranged  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  supply  the  necessary  shade,  and  not  in- 
terfere with  the  growth  of  the  coral-trees.  The  latter  develop 
from  four  seeds,  placed  around  the  stakes  at  a  distance  of 
twenty  inches.  The  object  of  planting  four  seeds  is  to  allow 
a  selection  from  the  four  trees — or  as  many  of  them  as  may 
thrive — of  the  most  perfect,  leaving  it  thereto  fulfill  its  mission 
as  guardian,  while  the  others,  being  unrequired,  are  uprooted 
and  cast  out.  The  banana-trees  may  be  destroyed  as  soon  as 
the  "  madre  de  cacao  "  has  developed  sufficiently  to  furnish 
the  necessary  protection  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

Nurseries. — The  preparation  of  a  nursery  for  cacao  is  verjr 
much  the  same  as  for  coffee  ;  therefore,  seed  plots  of  about 
twelve  inches  in  height,  forty-eight  inches  in  width,  and  of  any 
desired  length,  have  to  be  made.  These  are  then  provided 
with  shade,  and  ditches  are  left  between  them  to  irrigate  the 
beds  frequently.  The  seeds  must  be  of  the  best  quality  ; 
those  are  considered  such  which  were  gathered  from  the 
thoroughly  ripened  pods,  growing  on  the  branches  of  the  tree, 
and  not  on  the  trunk  itself. 

After  the  seeds  have  been  taken  out  of  the  pods,  they  are 
put  into  water  for  about  twenty-four  hours,  in  order  to  soften 
the  cuticle  which  surrounds  them  ;  this  simplifies  the  operation 
of  separating  the  skin  from  the  grain.  Some  planters  cut  the 
cuticle  lengthwise  before  putting  the  seeds  into  the  water,  but 
this  plan,  besides  being  more  laborious,  is  somewhat  risky,  as 
the  grain,  itself,  may  be  injured  while  making  the  incision. 
At  the  expiration  of  the  twenty-four  hours  the  seeds  are 
planted,  one  by  one,  at  distances  of  about  twelve  inches. 
After  that,  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  seed-plots 
perfectly  free  from  weeds  and  thoroughly  irrigated.  Nurse- 
ries can  be  started  at  almost  any  time,  but  the  months  of 
October  and  November  are  preferable,  as  by  April  or  Marck 


104 


following,  the  tree  will  be  ready  for  transplanting,  and  may 
derive  the  benefits  of  the  rainy  season,  which  begins  at 
that  epoch. 

Planting. — This  is  done  generally  at  the  beginning  of  the 

rainy  season.     In  place  of  the  stake  inserted   in  the   ground, 

several  months  before,  we   now  plant  one  of  the   trees,  taken 

'put  of  the  nursery  with  its  roots  surrounded  by  a  square  lump 

of  the  earth  in  which  it  grew. 

Cultivation. — After  the  tree  has  been  located  definitely, 
with  the  shade  necessary  for  its  proper  growth,  the  work  is 
simply  that  of  keeping  the  land  free  of  weeds  and  well  irri- 
gated ;  paying,  besides,  some  attention  to  the  unnecessary 
suckers  and  shoots,  which  must  be  destroyed  to  give  greater 
vigor  to  the  main  tree.  Thirty  months  after  the  tree  has 
been  transplanted,  it  begins  to  bloom,  but  this  florescence 
must  not  be  allowed  to  develop,  for  it  would  rob,  prema- 
turely, some  of  the  strength  of  the  tree  ;  hence  it  must  be 
taken  down. 

Harvesting,  Etc. — When  the  plantation  is  between  three 
and  a  half  and  four  years  old,  the  first  regular  crop  appears; 
the  trunk  and  the  branches  being  then  covered,  from  top  to 
bottom,  with  pods.  After  that  the  crops  occur  twice  a  year, 
about  the  months  of  July  and  December,  but  pods,  green 
and  ripe,  are  found  in  blossom  at  all  times  ;  therefore,  gather- 
ings may  be  done,  once  or  twice  a  week,  and  even  daily,  ac- 
cording to  the  size  of  the  plantation.  The  production  con- 
tinues to  increase  until  the  eighth  year  ;  after  that,  it  is  more 
or  less  even  for  forty  years  or  more. 

The  pods  are  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  long,  and  resemble 
a  musk-melon  ;  they  grow  from  the  branches  and  trunks  of 
the  trees,  and  are  considered  fully  ripe  when  their  green 
color  has  become  a  slightly  yellowish  or  reddish  tint ;  this 
occurs  about  four  months  after  the  blossom  has  appeared.  The 
pods^are  puUed  down  from  the  trees,  and  the  nuts  taken  out 
of  them   by  simply  breaking  or  cutting  the  pod   in  two.      The 

105 


nuts  are  then  placed  for  twenty-four  hours  in  a  tank  of  water, 
and  constantly  stirred  about  to  destroy  the  mucilage-like 
substance  which  adheres  to  them  ;  then  they  are  taken  out 
and  spread  on  a  patented  stone  or  "  patio  "  to  dry  in  the  sun. 
The  drying  process  may  be  done  in  stoves,  or  other  machines 
similar  to  those  used  for  coffee.  When  the  nuts  are  thoroughly 
dried,  the  cacao  is  ready  for  the  market,  and  the  planter,  to 
reap  the  large  profits  invariably  derived  from  the  production 
of  this  article,  the  cultivation  of  which  has  required  so  little 
skill,  machinery,  capital  or  labor.  Every  tree  is  calculated  to 
yield  about  fifty  pods,  each  containing  about  forty  grains ; 
fifteen  grains  weighing  about  one  ounce ;  thus  a  single  tree's 
production  is  estimated  in  six  and  one-third  pounds. 

Sugar*«cane. 

Although  sugar-cane  grows  well  almost  all  over  the  country 
and  is  extensively  cultivated,  sugar  does  not  as  yet  constitute 
one  of  the  exporting  articles,  and  probably  will  not  as  long  as 
there  are  products  like  coffee,  bananas,  cocoa,  etc.,  which 
bring  to  the  planters  handsomer  profits.  This  article  is, 
therefore,  produced  merely  to  supply  the  local  demands  ;  but 
even  so,  there  is  always  a  scarcity  of  it  which  requires  large 
importations  of  foreign  sugar. 

The  sugar-cane  is  used  largely  in  Costa  Rica  as  forage,  in 
the  manufacture  of  whiskey  or  "  aguardiente  " ;  and  to  pro- 
duce the  raw  sugar  or  "  dulce  "  which  is  consumed  entirely 
by  country  people.  There  are  no  refineries,  but  there  are  a 
few  establishments,  which  make  granulated  and  lump  sugar  of 
a  rather  light  color,  by  the  centrifugal  process  ;  these,  and  the 
imported  sugar  are  eaten  by  people  living  in  the  cities,  and 
very  rarely  anywhere  else;  the  "dulce"  being  preferred  by 
country  people,  not  so  much  because  of  its  cheaper  price,  as 
for  its  strong  taste  to  which  they  are  accustomed. 

Acreage  of  the  Sugar-cane  Cultivated,  and  the  Amount  of 
sugar  and  "  Dulce  "  Produced  in  1889  : — 

T06 


Provinces. 

V  a 
U 

■IP 

2     0 

1^^ 

0  ^ 
|5 

0  a! 
<u  0 

■3  rt  — 

■^  3Q 

0  0  c 

San  Jos6   .    . 

•  4.819 

170,200 

6,255,100 

$20,424 

$625,510 

$645,934 

Alajuela    ,    . 

-  5,076 

794,800 

9,242,000 

95,376 

924,200 

1,019,576 

'Cartago     .    . 

.  1,466 

394,500 

878,600 

47,340 

87,860 

135,200 

Heredia    .    . 

•   1,114 

— 

1,446,400 

— 

144,640 

144,640 

Guanacaste  . 

■       719 

— 

406,600 

— 

40,660 

40,600 

Puntarenas  . 

•  1,471 

— 

207,000 

— 

20, 700 

20,700 

Limon   .    .    . 

122 

8,500 

18,300 

1,020 

■  1,830 

2,850 

Total  .    .  14,787  1,368,000  18,454,000  $164,160  $1,845,400  $2,009,560 
Added  to  the  1^2,009,560  worth  of  sugar  and  "  dulce"  pro- 
duced  in   the   country, -there   was   ^83,125    of  foreign   sugar 
imported,  making  a  total  consumption  of  ;^2,092,685   for  the 
year  1889. 

The  manner  in  which  sugar-cane  is  cultivated  is  so  simple, 
it  would  hardly  seem  proper  to  give  a  description  of  it  here ; 
but  this  much  may  be  said  : — Sugar-cane,  in  Costa  Ricea, 
grows  extremely  tall  and  stout,  and  unlike  that  raised  in  other 
countries,  does  not  need  to  be  replanted  every  two  or  three 
years.  If  due  care  is  taken,  the  plant  will  give  satisfactory 
results  for  a  term  of  from  five  to  seven  years. 

Cotton  ant)  Mbeat, 

The  first  of  these  products  received  considerable  attention 
many  years  ago,  when  it  was  cultivated,  spun  and  woven  into 
cloth  by  the  natives.  The  improved  and  increased  means  of 
communication  with  the  outer  world  gradually  brought  about 
many  changes  ;  among  these  was  the  introduction  of  cotton 
fabrics  from  foreign  ports.  The  lower  prices  and  the  better 
quality  of  these  imported  goods  compelled  the  primitive  mills 
to  stop  working,  and  the  cotton  fields  to  be  abandoned. 

Wheat,  too,  was  formerly  produced  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  supply  the  local  demands,  and  was  ground  into  flour  by 
means  of  small  mills  of  the  most  primeval  order.  The  culti- 
vation of  this  grain  to-day  is  badly  neglected,  and  the  quanti- 
ties produced  fall  far  short  of  satisfying  the  demand.     This  is 

107 


due  entirely  to  the  reasons  given  before  regarding  other  pro- 
ducts : — Viz.,  scarcity  of  and  high  prices  paid  for  labor,  and 
the  existence  of  more  profitable  industries.  In  the  face  of  these 
facts,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  Costa  Rica  introduces  foreign 
flour,  and  even  the  wheat  required  for  the  running  of  a  recently- 
established  mill  which  possesses  all  the  modern  improvements. 

Table  Showing  the  Amount  of  Wheat  and  Flour  Intro- 
duced IN  THE  Years  1884,  1886,  1887,  1888,  1889. 

Amount  of  Amount  of 

Wheat  Flour  Total  of 

Years.                          in  Pounds.  in  Pounds.  Wheat  and  Flour. 

1884 158,972  158,972 

1886  15,898  283,064  298,962 

1887 72,270  125,153  ■   197,423 

1888 9,507  167,319  176,826 

1889 26,822  209,150  235,972 

124,497  943,658  1,068,155 

This  official  record  shows  that  wheat  was  planted  in  1888 
in  the  provinces  of  Alajuela  and  Heredia.  In  the  first  of 
these  59.50  bushels,  of  which  were  harvested  226.33  bushels, 
thus  yielding  a  proportion  of  four  to  one.  In  the  province 
of  Heredia  57.85  bushels  were  sown,  and  564.36  bushels  were 
gathered ;  a  proportion  of  ten  to  one. 

Table   Showing  the  Amount  of  Wheat  Sown  and  Har- 
vested  IN    1888. 

Number  of        Number  ot 
Bushels  Bushels  Rates  of 

Counties.  Planted.  Harvested.  Production. 

Alajuela ii-35  82.04  7.22  to  i 

Grecia 22.70  66.41  2.93  to  i 

Naranjo 25.45  77-88  3.06  to  i 

Total  for  the  Province 

of  Alajuela  ,    .    .    .       59.50  226.33  3.80  to  i 

Heredia 12.77  56-74  4.43  to  i 

Santo  Domingo    ....       18.21  223.92  12.29  to  i 

San  Rafael 26.87  283.70  10.55  to  i 

Total  for  the  Province — 

of  Heredia  .    .    .    .       57.85  564-36  9-75  to  i 

Grand  Total     .    .    .    .     117.35  790.69  6.74101 

108 


The  number  of  acres  planted  in  the  province  of  Alajuela 
was  39.66,  which  yielded  at  the  rate  of  5.70  bushels  per  acre; 
in  Heredia  38.56  acres,  which  yielded  at  the  average  rate  of 
14.53  bushels  per  acre  ;  making  the  total  average  ten  bushels 
per  acre.  The  county  of  Santo  Domingo  produced  as  high 
as  18.44  bushels  per  acre,  and  San  Rafael,  15.84  bushels  per 
acre.  Comparing  these  results  with  those  of  the  United 
States,  shows  that  only  Wyoming  yields  19.5  bushels  more 
than  St.  Domingo,  while  there  are  but  ten  states  which  produce 
more  than  San  Rafael.  On  the  other  hand  there  are  twenty 
states  where  the  production  falls  below  that  of  Heredia,  and 
ten  others  which  do  not  reach  the  average  production  of 
Costa  Rica. 

Cocoanut0, 

The  cocoanut  grows  in  the  warmer  portions  of  Costa  Rica, 
and  particularly  well  on  the  coasts,  where  the  forests  are 
thickly  studded  with  these  gigantic  trees.  The  fruit  has  had 
only  a  limited  local  demand,  and  but  recently  became  an  ex- 
port. If  the  demand  of  the  foreign  ports  should  ever  exceed 
the  supply,  now  found  growing  in  a  wild  state  in  the  forests. 
the  forming  of  regular  plantations  could  be  done  very  easily 
at  a  nominal  cost,  as  it  needs  no  special  oversight  or  much 
labor  to  cultivate  this  tree,  whose  fruit  has  such  a  multiplicity 
of  useful  qualities.  Heretofore,  a  few  banana  growers  or 
other  farmers  on  the  coast  have  planted  a  small  number  of 
these  trees,  more  with  the  intention  of  beautifying  their  estates, 
than  with  that  of  deriving  any  pecuniary  benefit  from  them. 

1Rice,  Beans  anb  Corn* 

These  three  products  constitute  the  principal  articles  of  food 
for  the  peasants  of  Costa  Rica,  and  are  also  seen  frequently 
on  the  tables  of  the  well-to-do  classes. 

The  cultivation  of  rice  in  Costa  Rica  demands  very  little 
care  and  no  irrigation  to  produce  two  crops  a  year  of  a  very 

109 


superior  quality  of  grain ;  but,  owing  to  the  causes  so  fre- 
quently mentioned  in  this  pamphlet,  there  is  not  enough  pro- 
duced for  home  consumption,  and  foreign  rice  has  to  be 
imported  to  make  up  the  deficiency. 

Beans  and  corn  are  grown  almost  all  over  the  country, 
especially  the  latter,  of  which  three  crops  a  year  is  not  an  un- 
common occurence  in  a  number  of  places.  It  seems  almost 
incredible,  that  with  such  wonderful  facilities,  there  should  be 
occasion  to  import,  at  times,  even  the  necessaries  of  life  which 
would  grow  so  well  and  abundantly  in  the  country ;  but  such 
is  the  lamentable  fact,  which  goes  to  prove  once  more  that 
Costa  Rica's  small  population  are  so  fully  engrossed  in  one  or 
two  wonderfully  profitable  enterprises,  that  many  other  pur- 
suits, perhaps  not  equally  advantageous,  are  somewhat  disre- 
garded. These  are  waiting  for  the  current  of  immigration, 
anxiously  desired  by  the  natives,  who  would  gladly  see 
strangers  building  large  fortunes  in  a  short  time,  in  exchange 
for  the  benefits  derived  by  the  inhabitants  from  a  larger  pro- 
duction, and  greater  development  of  the  natural  resources  of 
this  marvelous  country. 

The  following  table  will  show  the  number  of  pounds  of  rice, 
beans  and  corn  planted  in  each  of  the  provinces  of  Costa 
Rica ;  giving  the  production  of  each  article,  and  the  rates 
of  the  seeds  sown,  to  the  amount  harvested  in  il 


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Table  showing  the  number  of  acres  planted  with  Rice,  Beans 
AND  Corn,  and  the  number  of  bushels  that  each  acre 

YIELDED,  IN  1888, — BY  COUNTIES. 


Counties. 


< 

San  ]os6 — 

Escasu  — 

Uesamparados    ....  4.13 

Punscal 16.69 

Aserri 4.35 

Mora 49-12 

Total  for  the  Province — 

of  San  Jos6  ....  74.29 

Alajuela 54-53 

San  Ram6n 60.20 

Grecia 10.08 

Naranjo 8.72 

Atenas 112.62 

San  Matos 41-93 

Palmares — 

Total  for  the  Province 

of  Alajuela  ....  288.08 

Cartago — 

Paraiso 86.90 

La  Union — 

Toial  for  the  Province 

of  Cartago    .    .    .    .    86.90 

Heredia — 

Barba — 

Santo  Domingo  ....  — 

Santa  Barbara    ....  — 

San   Rafael — 

Total  for  the  Province 

of  Heredia   ....  — 

Liberia 23  28 

Nicoya 37-15 

Santa   Cruz 5.04 

Bagaces 5.19 

Caiias — 

Total  for  Guanacaste,  70.66 

Puntarenas 26.78 

Esparta 231.98 

Golfo  Dulce 136.17 

Total  for  Puntarenas,  394.93 

Total  fortheRepublic,9i4.86      61.27     3,79i-75     28.03     16,863.48     41.25 

113 


rt2  0 

a!2  0 

S.il  "i 

u 

S  Ji  ^ 

ol  il  "^ 

>>,^ 

< 

>  ^s 

< 

>^s 

<       0. 

<     a 

<      ft 

— 

123.72 

14.06 

412.00 

42.94 

— 

739.90 

12.20 

1,430.70 

53.41 

15-96 

335-56 

18.55 

826.20 

16.57 

36-17 

149.26 

37-78 

412.00 

42.92 

81.06 

30-73 

76.02 

655-34 

28.56 

82.96 

130.40 
1,509-57 

26.94 
18.87 

306.73 
4,042.97 

33-27 

68.61 

38.18 

141.93 

243.82 

38.38 

828.09 

66.69 

60.27 

196.20 

46.50 

2,287.33 

34-50 

38.39 

99.90 

24.07 

839-44 

33-73 

31-99 

153-66 

18. 1 1 

590.96 

59-64 

50.34 

270.98 

16.99 

307,33 

21-43 

177-34 

23.50 

2397 

186.13 

44.98 

— 

100.87 

22.50 
28.47 

504.22 
5.543-50 

33.75 

83.10 

1,088.93 

41-43 

— 

61.37 

57-27 

1,483-74 

54-34 

9-74 

564.40 

56.48 

2,576.89 

34-40 

— 

7.22 

33-56 
56.29 

109.38 
4,170.01 

49.88 

9-74 

632.99 

41.90 

— 

323.26 

20.18 

874.73 

45-03 

— 

9-83 

15.00 

68.94 

78-03 

— 

I-5I 

15.02 

222.86 

20.36 

— 

-94 

12.06 

156.14 

49-07 

— 

15-75 
351-29 

18.01 
19.89 

270.14 
1,592.81 

47.52 

— 

43-78 

77.86 

44-38 

19.06 

249.57 

46.86 

18.05 

7-52 

71.24 

137.22 

61.74 

29.99 

11-95 

14.22 

162.34 

92.31 

ie.81 

13.02 

8.69 

220.97 

27.23 

— 

7-57 

33-32 
22.70 

26.40 
796.50 

41.09 

38.22 

84-44 

53-06 

102.64 

23-35 

20.89 

298.70 

43-96 

76.26 

91.72 

18.04 

258.42 

31-32 

22.27 

9.46 
124.53 

11.67 

160.57 
717.69 

22.77 

59-43 

18.09 

34.66 

potatoes* 

The  potatoes  cultivated  are  of  an  extremely  fine  quality 
and,  if  planted  in  proper  soil  and  at  suitable  elevations,  the 
production  is  large.  At  present,  the  real  potato  is  seen  only 
in  the  provinces  of  Cartago  and  Alajuela.  Here  it  is  planted 
with  great  success  on  the  hillsides,  and  a  careful  study  of  the 
country  will  show  that  many  other  places  are  well  adapted  for 
potato  cultivation.  As  the  railroads  are  completed,  this  will 
be  an  important  and  remunerative  article,  if  exported  to  Col- 
ombia and  neighboring  States,  where  a  more  tropical  climate 
renders  their  growth  impossible. 

SarsapartUa  ant)  Dantlla* 

These,  like  the  india-rubber,  are  natural  products  which 
grow  in  the  forests  without  any  cultivation  or  care  of  any 
kind.  Both  are  valuable  commercial  articles  and  are  largely 
exported  to  foreign  markets. 

tobacco. 

The  quality  of  the  tobacco  produced  in  Costa  Rica  is  known 
to  be  excellent,  and  previous  to  the  time  it  became  a  govern- 
ment monopoly,  large  quantities  were  exported.  A  few  years 
ago  the  Government,  wishing  to  have  this  agricultural  indus- 
try revived,  granted  full  liberty  for  its  cultivation,  restricting 
only  its  sale,  which  continued  a  national  monopoly. 

The  trial  proved  then,  in  regard  to  tobacco,  the  same  truth 
that  has  been  made  evident  with  many  other  products  which 
grow  easily  and  well  in  the  republic ;  that  while  the  scarcity 
of  labor  and  the  consequent  high  prices  demanded  for  it  pre- 
vail in  Costa  Rica,  no  attractions  will  divert  the  efforts  of  the 
people  from  the  production  of  coffee,  bananas,  etc.,  which 
yield  such  surprisingly  large  profits. 

The  quantity  of  tobacco  raised  was  not  a  success,  as  few 
would  engage  in  its  cultivation ;  hence  the  Government  was 
compelled   to   continue  importing  it  to  supply  local  demands. 

114 


Table  showing  the  tobacco  imported  into  Costa  Rica  dur- 
ing the  years  1884,  1886,  1887,  1888  and  1889: 


Leat 

Chewing 

Years. 

Tobacco. 

Cigars. 

Cigarettes. 

Tobacco. 

Total. 

1884  .     . 

•       4.207 

14,296 

978 

16,616 

36,097 

1886  .    . 

.     95.818 

11,841 

2,298 

— 

109,957 

1887  .    . 

.     91,207 

9,274 

3,902 

— 

104,383 

1888  .    . 

.     84,282 

12,723 

3.056 

— 

100,061 

1889  .    . 

.   132,291 

15,628 

4,128 

— 

152,047 

Total       .  407,805         63,762       14,362          16,616         502,545 

The  Castilloa  elastica  is  found  growing  wild  in  a  great 
many  of  the  virgin  forests  of  the  country,  and  the  india-rubber 
extracted  from  it  has  always  been  one  of  the  prominent  ex- 
ports of  the  republic  ;  adding,  thereby,  a  generous  share  to  its 
wealth. 

The  abuses  committed  by  the  india-rubber  hunters,  who,  in 
order  to  gather  the  valuable  gum  in  as  short  a  time  as  pos- 
sible, often  ruined  the  trees  with  the  careless  process  adopted 
by  them  for  this  purpose,  have  compelled  the  Government  to 
issue  a  decree  prohibiting  the  extraction  of  this  substance 
from  the  national  lands  without  a  special  permit. 

This  has  been  freely  granted,  however,  to  any  individual  or 
company  who  has  solicited  the  right,  and  guaranteed  the  non- 
destruction  of  the  trees.  Then,  again,  the  Government,  de- 
sirous of  encouraging  the  increase  of  such  a  profitable  pro- 
duct, the  cultivation  of  which  is  so  easy  and  inexpensive,  has 
offered  large  rewards  to  those  who  undertake  to  plant  a  cer- 
tain number  of  the  india-rubber  producing  trees. 

This  is  another  child  of  the  Costa  Rican  soil.  The  condi- 
tions in  many  localities  are  highly  conducive  to  an  extensive 
growth  of  the  "  giquislite  "  from  which  the  indigo  is  extracted, 
but   since   chemical  substances   have  been   introduced    in  the 

"5 


place  of  vegetable  dyes,  indigo   has   received   scant  attention, 
and  is  produced  in  only  very  small  quantities. 

flnMoenoue  jTt^utt^  anb  Bew  Culture. 

Nearly  everywhere  among  the  plantations  are  found  edible 
fruits,  which  are  not,  at  present,  objects  of  special  culture 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  scientific  study  and  experi- 
ment will  enable  nature  to  perfect  the  present  indigenous 
fruits,  and  even  produce  new  and  improved  varieties.  Among 
the  most  important,  but  neglected,  species  are — oranges, 
limes,  peaches,  figs,  quinces  and  pomegranates.  Nearly  all 
fruits  imported  from  the  United  States  and  Europe  thrive  ad- 
mirably on  the  plateau.  The  local  fruits  of  a  more  tropical 
origin  are  very  profuse  ;  the  most  important  are  pineapples, 
aguacates,  anonas,  sapotes,  papaws,  jocotes;  mangle,  grena- 
dilla  and  cocoanuts.  In  addition  to  these  are  the  fruits  of 
several  palms,  those  of  two  cacti  and  a  host  of  others  of  less 
importance.  Other  products  of  this  order  that  are  important 
to  the  settlers,  since  they  form  a  part  of  staple  food,  are  tona- 
toes,  egg-plants,  pimento,  water-melons,  ayote,  chayote,  zapo- 
ote  and  other  fruits  of  various  cucurbitacee. 

The  following  sworn  statement  from  a  prominent  citizen  of 
the  United  States  is  quite  sufficient  to  prove  that  the  develop- 
ment of  agricultural  products  can  in  no  wise  be  exaggerated. 

Affidavit  of  Charles  de  Martin  in  Regard  to  the 

Resources  of    Costa    Rica,  Judging  Them  by  His 

Practical  Experience. 

I,  Charles  de  Martin,  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and 
recently  from  Calistoga,  California,  wishing  to  make  this 
report  reliable  for  all  to  judge  of  the  wonderful  resources  of 
Costa  Rica,  swear  that  what  I  below  relate  is  the  strict 
truth. 

Having  heard  for  some  time  a  great  deal  of  Costa  Rica,  I 
determined  to  leave  California  for  a  while  and  find  out  for 
myself  what  had  been  told  me.  I  arrived  here  on  the  8th 
of  Octobei:  of  1887,  spent  some  time  in  search  of  a  nice 
piece  of  land,  'which,  besides  being,  situated  .near  the  capital, 

116 


I  could  buy  cheap.  I  finally  succeeded  in'  souring -^a  lot 
of  over  two  acres,  and  also  succeeded  in  having  the  Govern- 
ment send  to  California  for  cuttings.  They  were  sent  here 
in  the  steamer  Honduras,  and  they  laid  sixty-nine  days  on 
the  way.  Most  of  them  arrived  in  a  condition  not  fit  to  be- 
planted;  nevertheless,  the  few  that  reached  here  in  good 
condition  I  planted  with  the  following  result: 

Japanese  Quince,  planted  May  15,  1888  (14  months 
ago),  has  had  two  small  crops  already. 

Apples,  planted  May  15,  1888  (14  months  ago),  have  a 
height  of  seven  feet,  and  a  trunk  of  six  inches  in  circum- 
ference at  one  foot  from  the  ground. 

Figs,  planted  May  15,  1888  (14  months  ago),  have  had 
three  crops;  the  trunk  being  seven  inches  in  circumference. 
The  first  cuttings  having  reached  here  almost  all  useless,  I 
ordered  more,  which  came  in  good  condition,  and  are  now 
planted,  giving  the  most  encouraging  results. 

Vine  Tokay,  planted  May  15,  1888  (14  months  ago), 
gave  the  first  fruit  on  the  4th  of  July,  1889,  on  the  3d 
of  August,  on  the  12th  of  May  of  1889,  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1S89,  on  the  15th  of  July,  1889,  and  still  there  is  some 
more.  The  cuttings  taken  from  this  vine,  which  were 
planted  in  November,  1888  (8  months  ago),  are  now  four 
feet  nine  inches  high  and  two  and  a  half  inches  in  circum- 
ference. 

Olives,  planted  September  17,  1888  (10  months  ago), 
are  now  six  feet  high  and  two  and  a  half  inches  in  circum- 
ference. 

Winter  Nel  Pears,  planted  January  22,  1889,  have  a 
height  of  six  feet  and  three  inches  in  circumference. 

Egg  Plums,  planted  January  22,  1889  (6  months  ago), 
are  eight  feet  high  and  three  and  a  half  inches  in  circum- 
ference. 

French  Prunes,  planted  January  22,  1889  (6  months 
ago),  are  eight  feet  high  and  three  and  a  half  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. 

Peach  Trees,  planted  January  22,  1889  (6  months 
ago),  are  eight  feet  ten  inches  high,  and  five  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, and  already  bringing  forth  fruit.  The  Zealand 
Peaches,  about  three  years  old,  can  produce  twenty  dol- 
lars worth  of  fruit,  and  are  just  as  good  for  canning  as  the 

117 


California  ones,  which  at  home  in  cans  is  worth  lifteen  cents, 
while  here  they  are  sold  at  seventy-five  cents  each. 

Apricots,  planted  January  22,  1889  (6  months  ago),  are 
five  feet  high. 

No  one,  judging  from  the  foregoing  information,  can  deny 
the  fact,  that  this  is  a  marvelous  country.  The  soil  all  over 
the  RepubUc  is  of  such  richness,  that  even  the  proud  Cali- 
fornian  who  boasts  of  the  fertility  of  his  country,  seeing  the 
fertility  and  productiveness  of  this  soil,  almost  imagines  his 
country  to  be  a  desert. 

The  natives  are  industrious,  in  their  own  way,  and 
although  knowing  positively  nothing  about  agriculture, 
produce  coffe,  cocoa,  vanilla,  bananas,  cocoa-nuts,  rubber, 
potatoes,  peaches,  quinces,  wheat,  rice,  corn,  etc. ;  in  fact,  all 
the  fruitsandvegetablesof  the  Torrid  Zone.  In  conclusion  I 
will  add  something  about  corn,  marblehead  cabbages,  straw- 
berries and  artichokes,  that  I  have  under  cultivation. 

Corn,  planted  April  17th  (three  months  ago),  is  twelve 
and  a  half  feet  high,  and  the  ears  are  plentiful  and  very 
large.     The  corn  here  gives  from  two  to  four  crops  a  year. 

Strawberries  bear  all  the  year  round,  and  in  the  most 
abundant  manner. 

Marblehead  Cabbages,  planted  April  17th,  1889,  have 
cabbages  so  beautiful  and  sweet  as  would  surprise  any  one  ; 
the  weight  of  them  is  from  ten  to  twelve  pounds  each. 

Artichokes,  planted  in  November,  1888,  are  bearing 
from  five  to  seven  each. 

It  is  the  general  opinion  among  my  American  friends 
here,  that  people  from  the  States  who  would  come  with  a 
few  hundred  dollars,  and  knowing  something  of  agriculture, 
could  make  an  independent  fortune  in  a  very  short  time, 
especially  when,  added  to  the  advantages  already  described, 
you  have  a  Government  disposed  to  protect  foreigners  ; 
and  the  country  has  so  many  facilities  for  transportation, 
which,  together  with  the  high  prices  of  products,  the  efforts 
of  a  farmer  would  be  more  than  sufficiently  compensated. 

The  price  of  grapes  here  is  one  dollar  a  pound,  apples 
fifteen  to  twenty-five  cents  a  piece,  pears  twenty-five  to 
forty  cents  each,  etc. 

I  hope  this  information,  which  in  every  respect  is  a  true 
one,  may  induce  some  of  my  countrymen,  who  are  not  well 
rewarded,  to  come  to  Costa  Rica,  as  I  am  fully  convinced 
that  before  long  they  will  gladly  thank 

(Signed)  Charles  de  Martin. 
San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  July  15th,  1889. 

118 


The  undersigned,  Notary  Public  of  this  RepubHc,  certi- 
fies that  the  foregoing  signature  that  reads  ' '  Charles  de 
Martin,"  is  authentic,  and  was  made  in  my  presence. 

(Signed)  Ricardo  Jimenez. 
San  Jose,  July  20th,  1889. 

The  undersigned  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Departments 
of  State  and  Justice  of  Costa  Rica  ; 

Hereby  certifies  :  that  the  foregoing  signature  that  reads 
"  Ricardo  Jimenez,"  is  authentic. 

(Signed)  Alberto  Brenes. 
National  Palace,  San  Jose,  July  20th,  1889. 

Consulate  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  July  22d,  1889. 

I  hereby  certify  that  the  signature  "  Alberto  Brenes"  of 
the  precedent  certificate,  is  authentic,  and  that  the  said  Al- 
berto Brenes  is  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  of  the  Re- 
public of  Costa  Rica.  Witness  my  hand  and  Consular 
Seal.  (Signed)  J.  Richard  Wingfield. 

Fee  to  84.     $2.50  U.  S.  gold. 

Paid— J.  R.  W. 

From  the  Official  Gazette,  Number  167,  of  July  the  20th, 
1889. 

Number  47. 
National  Palace,  San  Jose,  July  i8th,  1889. 

In  view  of  the  documents  formulated  on  account  of  the 
memorial  presented  by  Mr.  Charles  de  Martin,  citizen  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  who  now  resides  in  this  city,  and 
whereby  he  asks  this  Government  to  place  him  in  possession 
of  the  land  inscribed  in  the  Public  Records,  in  the  part 
corresponding  to  the  Province  of  San  Jos^,  volume  187, 
page  523,  number  7856,  and  entry  number  8  ;  basing  his 
demand  on  what  was  stipulated  on  the  third  clause  of  the 
contract  which  he  made  with  this  Department  of  Interior  on 
the  15th  of  November,  of  1887,  to  direct  the  works  of  plant- 
ing and  cultivating  the  vine  in  a  place  near  this  city. 
considering  : 

That  in  said  contract  it  was  agreed  that  the  Government 
would  donate  to  Mr.  Martin  the  land  cultivated,  as  has 
already  been  mentioned  ;  and  which  donation  would  be  con- 
sidered as  a  compensation  for  his  work,  provided  that,  if 
after  eighteen  months  counted  since  the  first  of  January  of 
1888,  Mr.  Martin  had  obtained  good  results  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  vine,  according  to  a  report  given  by  experts. 

119 


CONSIDERING  : 

That  the  report  given  by  the  experts  John  Richard  Wing- 
field  and  Enrique  Jimenez  Nunez,  to  be  found  on  pages 
three  and  four  of  the  documents  formulated,  and  wherein  it 
is  stated  that  the  resuks  obtained  by  Mr.  Martin  in  the  cuhi- 
vation  of  the  vine  are  fully  satisfactory  ;  reason  by  which  he 
has  become  entitled  to  have  the  donation  which  he  now  asks 
for  ;  the  Vice-President  in   charge  of  the  Executive  power 

COMMANDS, 

that  the  necessary  instructions  be  given  to  the  Land  Depart- 
ment, so  that  they  should  proceed  at  once  to  make  a  deed 
of  donation  of  said  property,  as  a  recompense  to  the  work 
performed,  in  accordance  with  his  contract  of  November  15, 
1887. 

Let  it  be  published. 

Signed  by  the  Vice-President, 

(Signed)     ZuNiGA. 

El  infrascrito  Encargado  de  Negocios  de  la  Republica  de 
Costa  Rica  en  Washington,      Hace  constar  ;  que  lo  anterior 
es  una  traduccion  fiel  del  documento  original. 
Washington,  D.  C,  Marzo  9  de   1891. 

Anselmo  Volio. 
[seal.] 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 

DEPARTMENT     OF    STATE. 

To  all  to  whom  these prese7its  shall  come ^  Greeting: 

I  certify,  that  Anselmo  Volio,  whose  name  is  subscribed 
to  the  paper  hereunto  annexed  is  now,  and  was  at  the  time 
of  subscribing  the  same.  Charge  d'  Affaires  ad  interim  of 
Costa  Rica,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  duly  commissioned;  and 
that  full  faith  and  confidence  are  due  to  his  acts  as  such. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I,  James  G.  Blaine,  Secre- 
tary of  State  of  the  United  States,    have 
hereunto  subscribed  my  name  and  caused 
the  seal  of  the  Department  of  State  to  be 
[seal.]  affixed. 

Done  at  the  City  of  Washington,  this  i6th 
day  of  March,  A.  D.  1891,  and  of  the  In- 
dependence of  the  United  States  of  America 
the  one  hundred  and  fifteenth. 

James  C.   Blaine. 


Many  hard  working  men  have  found  it  difficult  to  make 
lOO,  or  even  i,ooo  acres  of  land  in  the  United  States  produce 
a  fair  living. 

For  the  benefit  of  those,  I  introduce  here  a  table  showing 
the  expense  of  production  in  Costa  Rica,  compared  to  that  of 
the  United  States,  and  I  wish  again  to  remind  the  reader  that 
cultivations  can  be  so  arranged,  as  to  assure  an  almost  per- 
petual harvest. 

Comparative  liable  of  lEipense  of  probuction 

anb  IRet  profit  in  Costa  1Rica  anb  tbe 

'mnite^  States, 

For  One  Acre  of  Land  Cultivated  with  Tropical 
Plants  in  Costa  Rica. 

One  acre  is  equal  to  4,84Q  square  yards  or  0.576  of  a  manzana. 

Coffee. 

Total  Expense $136.22 

Total   Production,  2,016  pounds,  at  40  cts  .         806.42 

Net  Profit $674.18 

Cacao. 

Total  Expense .         $94.46 

Total  Production,  864  pounds,  at  70  cents  .         604.80 

Net  Profit $510.34 

Sugar-Cane. 

Total  Expense $100.22 

Total    Production,    6,760  pounds,  "  dulce  " 

at  4  cents 230.40 

Net  Profit $150.18 

Rice. 

Total  Expense $50.40 

Total  Production,  2,764  pounds,  at  11  cents,        304.12 

Net  Profit .  ^^253. 72 

121 


Beans. 

Total  Expense $10.94 

Total  Production,  950  pounds,  at  $7.27  per 

quintal 69.06 

Net  Profit $58.12 

Corn. 

Total  Expense $22.46 

Total   Production,    1,647  pounds,    at    $4.23 

per  quintal 69.06 

Net  Profit $48.60 

Bananas. 

Total  Expense $58.17 

Total  Production,  1,555  bunches  at  30  cents,  466.50 

Net  Profit $408.33 

Potatoes. 

Total  Expense $86.97 

Total  Production,  380  bushels,  at  $12.00  for 

II  bushels 414.00 

Net  Profit $327.03 

Tobacco. 

Total  Expense $190.65 

Total  Production,  576  pounds,  at  $i.oo    .    .  576.00 

Net  Profit $385-85 

The  calculations  herein  contained  about  the  production,  etc., 
of  the  United  States  have  their  foundation  on  figures  taken 
from  several  publications  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

The  prices  of  corn,  wheat,  etc.,  etc.,  are  the  general  average 
price  given  by  the  same  Department. 

By  the  foregoing  table  can  be  noticed  that  the  maximum 
and  minimum  of  production,  in  1894,  of  the  different  articles 
therein  mentioned  was  as  follows  : 

Corn. 
New  Hampshire,  52.4  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at     $23.95  max. 
South  Dakota  .    .  3.7        "  "  "     ■  169  min. 

122 


New  Mexico,  . 
South  Dakota 

Montana  .    .    . 
South  Dakota 

Indiana  .    .    .  . 
South  Dakota 


Oregon    .    . 
Nebraska    . 


Oregon    .    . 

Nebraska  . 

Connecticut 
Maryland  . 

Idaho    .    .    , 
Nebraska    . 


Nevada    . 
Nebraska 


Wheat. 

36.2  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at     $17.77  niax. 


4.0 


1,96  min. 


12.99  max. 
2.46  min. 

$9.67  max. 
2.25  min. 


Oats. 
.  40. 1  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at 
.7.6        "  "        ,       " 

Rye. 
.  19.3  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at 
•  4-5 

Barley.  , 

.  38.6  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at     $17.06  max. 

.  5.7        "  "  '■  2.52  min. 

Buckwheat. 
.  38.0  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at     $21.12  max. 
.3.7        "  "      ,  "  2.05  min. 

Tobacco. 
1,516  pounds  per  acre,  valued  at  $103.08  max. 
.  590        "  "  "  40. 12  min. 

Potatoes. 

178.0  bushels  per  acre,  valued  at  I95.40  max. 

22.0        "              "                "  11.70  min. 

Hay. 

.  4.0  tons   per  acre,    valued   at  $34.16  max. 

0.5      "            "                 "  4.27  min. 


Therefore,  the  article  that  pays  best  is  tobacco,  when  planted 
in  the  State  of  Connecticut  that  yields  1,5  16  pounds  per  acre, 
and  its  value  amount  to  ^103.08. 

Another  product  which  gives  a  fair  income  is  potatoes, 
when  planted  in  the  State  of  Idaho,  that  yield  per  acre  178 
bushels,  and  its  value  amount  to  1^95.30. 

The  next  best  are  : 

Hay,  in  Navada,  that  yields  4.0  tons  per  acre,  valued 
at  ;^34.i6. 

Corn,  in  New  Hampshire,  that  yields  52.4  bushels  per  acre, 
valued  at  ;^ 2 3.9 5. 

Buckwheat,  in  Oregon,  that  yields  38.0  bushels  per  acre, 
valued  at  ;^2i.i2. 


123 


Wheat,  in  New  Mexico,  that  yields  36.2  bushels  per  acre, 
valued  at  $17 .77. 

Barley,  in  Oregon,  that  yields  38.6  bushels  per  acre,  valued 
at  $17.06. 

Oats,  in  Montana,  that  yields  40.1  bushels  per  acre,  valued 
at  $12. gg. 

Rye,  in  Indiana,  that  yields  19.3  bushels  per  acre,  valued 
at  ^9.67. 

The  total  number  of  acres  planted  in  1894  (in  the  United 
States)  with  the  above-mentioned  articles,  was  as  follows  : 


Products. 

Acres. 

Yielded. 

Value. 

Corn  .... 

.  62,582,269 

1,212,770,052  bsh., 

$554,719,162 

Wheat  .    .    . 

.    34,882,436 

460,267,416     " 

225,902,025 

Oats    .    .    . 

27,023,553 

662,036,928     " 

214,816,920 

Rye    .    .    . 

1,944,780 

26,727,615     " 

13,395,476 

Barley    .    . 

3,170,602 

61,400,465     " 

27,134,127 

Buckwheat. 

789,232 

12,668,209     " 

7,040,238 

Tobacco  .  . 

523.105 

406,678,385  lbs.. 

27,760,739 

Patatoes  .  . 

2,737,973 

170,787,338  bsh., 

91,526,787 

Hay    .    .    . 

48,321,272 

54,874,408  tons, 

468.578,321 

Therefore,  in  the  year  1894  there  have  been  181,975,220 
acres  of  land  used  up  with  the  nine  previously  mentioned  ar- 
ticles, which  produced  ;^i  .630,875,795,  or  an  average  of  ^8.96 
per  acre. 

Stock  jfarmino. 

This  industry  is  new  and  will  be  one  of  the  promising  occu- 
pations of  the  future.  The  cattle  of  Costa  Rica  are  at  present 
not  sufficiently  numerous  to  supply  the  local  demand,  but 
the  forage,  as  can  be  seen  in  the  table  below,  is  abundantly 
able  to  support  great  herds  of  cattle.  The  food  is  vastly  more 
abundant  than  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States. 

The  +  indicates  the  districts  where  each  variety  of  forage 
Sfrows. 


124 


&|2 

Ml 

m 

o 

1— > 

v3 

a 

-a 
2 
a 
E 

"rt 

'u 

pj 

cd 

3 

E 

o 
"S 

0] 

5 

1 

n 

o  2 

d 

6 

o 
f) 

.2 

C3 

o 

3 
u 
U 

cd 

cd 
IC 
cd 
U 

cd 
c 

V 

cd 

cd" 
cd 

"3 
Q 
v2 

Ase 
Mo 
Alaj 

c 

S  «3 

u 

c   c 

n 

up 

U  Q  eu 

C3 

o  2; 

<: 

cd 

tr. 

U 

P4 

:^ 

2g 

IS 

J 

Q, 

Arrocillo  .  .  . 
Brama  .... 
Chilamate  .  . 
Cafia  de  cerro  . 
"  "  azucar 
Cola  de  venado 
Churristate  .  . 
Guate  .... 
Grama  .... 
Gamalote  .  .  . 
Guinea  .... 
Guacimo  .  .  . 
Guasimero  .  . 
Hilosaca 
Jengibrillo 
Jengibre  .... 
Junquillo  .... 
Lengua  de  vaca  . 

Malote 

Pie  de  paloma 

Pard 

Pitilla 

Panza  de  burro  . 
Platanillo  .... 
Sabanilla  .... 
Sierra  de  gallo  . 
Tumbard  .... 

Tasoro 

Tevcinte    .... 

Zetilla 

Zacate  amargo    . 

"      de  guinea 
"  castilla 

"        '*  cerro  . 

"        "  raton  . 

''        "  pard    . 

"       ancho  .    .• 


+  .    .+ 


+ 


+++.+ 


++  + 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+  .    .    . 

+  .++ 


+  . 


+++++ 


+ - +++ . 
.+  -    .  +  . 


+ 

+  . 

+++  .  +  .    .    -  + 

.  +  .  +  .    .+ +++++++++ 

+ . ++ . +++ . +++++ . ++++++ 
+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ . +++++ .+.++. . ++ - ++++++++++ . - 
+++ . +++++ . ++++++ . ++++++++ . +++ 
+++  ..++..++.  +  ...  +  ..  + + 


+ 


+ 


+ 


++ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+ 


+++  .  +++  .  4-  .   .   .  +++  •+  .   .   . 
+....++.. +++++ . + . +++ 


+++ 


+ 


+  .   .+ 


+ 


+ 


+  .+ 


+  .+ 


+4 


+ 


+ 


125 


Domestic  Animals  on  the  Farms  of  Costa  Rica  in  1892. 


Provinces  and  Number  of 

Comarcas.  Cattle. 

San  Jos^ 51,884 

Alajuela 62,410 

Cartage      48,555 

Heredia 35,39i 

Guanacaste  ....  134,567 

Puntarenas  ....  9,667 

Lim6n 3,191 


Number  of 
Horses. 

17,542 

16,774 

9,900 

6,380 

24,458 

.    1,721 

268 


Number  of 
Sheep. 

1,538 
159 
715 

57 
296 


Number  of 
Hogs. 

23,628 

16,185 

5,109 

13.241 

2,180 

1,128 

857 


Total 


345,665 


77,043 


2,765 


62,228 


Consumption  of  Beef  in  the  Provinces  During  1891. 


Provinces. 


San  Jos6 


Alajuela  .    . 

Cartago  .    . 
Heredia  .    . 

Guanacaste 

Puntarenas 
Lim6n     .    . 


Counties. 

San  Jose 

Escasu 

Desamparados 

Puriscal 

Asseri 

Mora 

Tarrizu 

Goicoechea 

f  Alajuela 
I  San  Ram6n 
I  Grecia 
-{  Atenas 
I  San  Mateo 
I  Naranjo 
[  Palmares 

Cartago 
Paraiso 
La  Uni6n 


Inhabitants 

39,112 

6,522 

6,471 

6,845 
6,030 
5^814 
2,583 

3,341 

19,300 
9,928 

8,797 
6,208 

3,353 
6,847 
2,770 

25,898 
7,819 
4,256 


r  Heredia 

Barba 
-|  Santo  Domingo 

Santa  Barbara 
[  San  Rafael 

Liberia 
Canas 
Bagaces 
Santa  Cruz 
Nicoya 

/  Puntarenas 
\  Esparta 

Lim6n 


16,480 
2,964 
5-118 
2,845 
4,204 

5,883 
2,165 
1,476 
5,948 
4,577 

8,869 
3.298 

7,484 


Number  of 
CaUle. 

9,132 
587 

1,077 
408 
482 
314 
152 
226 

2,438 
802 

1,033 
701 

334 
639 
379 

3,439 

1,058 

625 

2,836 
485 
743 
391 
366 

632 
96 
87 

229 

313 

1,087 
407 

395 


Proportion  for 
One  Person. 

0.233 
O.G90 
0.166 
0.059 
0.079 
0.054 
0.058 
0.162 

0.125 
0.080 
,0.117 
1. 112 
0.099 
0.093 
0.137 

0.162 

0.135 
0.146 

0.172 
0.163 
0.145 

0.137 
0.087 

0.107 
0.044 
.  0.059 
0.038 
0.068 

0.122 
0.122 

0.052 


The  following  letter  from   Mr.  John   Schroeder,  the  former 
United  States  Consul  to  Costa  Rica,  himself  an   expert  on  all 

126 


matters  pertaining  to  agriculture,  gives  a  clear  and   unbiased 

view  of  the  subject,  and  being  an  official  letter  to  the  Bureau 

of  Statistics,  has  an  important  bearing  on  this  department  of 

farming. 

San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  America  Central. 

Dear  Sir :  It  may  of  course  be  taken  for  granted,  that 
your  question  about  the  result  of  cattle-farming  in  Costa 
Rica,  is  based  upon  foregoing  experience  in  this  branch  of 
farming  and  husbandry  in  your  home.  Else  the  following 
investigation  will  only  partly  benefit  you,  as  the  present  let- 
ter is  not  intended  to  serve  as  a  treatise  upon  general  stock- 
raising,  but  only  upon  its  practical  result  at  present  applica- 
ble to  Costa  Rica. 

As  statistic  computations  can  only  exhibit  fully  their 
meaning  and  their  consequences  by  making  them  compare 
with  similar  computations  abroad,  I  shall  also  quote  what 
experience  has  taught  in  some  other  countries  in  the  matter 
of  cattle-farming. 

Norway  in  Northern  Europe,  and  Costa  Rica  in  Central 
America,  are  both  exceedingly  mountainous  countries. 
The  development  and  character  of  the  original  native  cattle 
are,  therefore,  in  several  respects  very  similar.  Their  meat 
and  fat  are  the  produce  of  pastures,  but  their  dairy  produce 
to  a  great  degree  depend  on  hay,  grain  and  roots.  It  is  well 
to  remember  that  a  cow's  natural  aptness  to  produce  milk  is 
one  thing,  and  the  quantity  produced  another,  because  the 
latter  depends  upon  the  food  and  treatment  of  the  animal 
and  not  upon  its  mere  propensity.  I  call  your  special  at- 
tention to  this  distinction,  because  in  ninety  cases  out  of 
one  hundred  I  have  found  elsewhere,  as  well  as  in  Costa 
Rica,  that  the  complaint  as  to  poor  milkers  righteously 
ought  to  read  ' '  poor  treatment  and  insufficient  feeding. ' ' 
The  introduction  of  milkers  from  abroad  or  the  mixing  of  races 
is,  therefore,  in  itself  no  guarantee  for  success.  With  proper 
treatment  and  judicious  selection  among  the  native  cattle,  I 
think  the  immigrant  will  succeed  better  than  with  imported. 

Under  my  personal  inspection  as  farmer  in  Norway,  a 
comparative  trial  was  made  during  several  years,  the  trial 
including  nine  cows  of  mixed  breed — Norway,  Scottish, 
Holstein — and  eighteen  cows  of  pure  Norway  mountain  breed. 

The  weight  of  each  animal  is  added  as  a  factor  necessary 
to  judge  rightly  its  comparative  value  as  a  milk  producer. 
The  food  was  not  the  best  or  richest,  but  the  cows  received 
all  they  could  eat  of  the  farm's  produce. 

127 


From  June  15,  to  October  i,  the  cows  were  daily  turned 
out  on  pasture  consisting  partly  of  natural  grasses  and  partly 
of  short  white  clover.  October  i,  they  were  tied  up  in  the 
stable  for  the  winter  (260  days),  and  the  daily  food  consisted 
of  hay  and  different  roots  equivalent  to  the  nutrimental  value 
of  twenty  pounds  of  hay  ;  also  of  four  pounds  of  oat-straw 
and  eight  pounds  of  rye  and  wheat-straw  for  chaff,  equiva- 
lent to  six  pounds  of  hay — in  all  equivalent  to  twenty-six 
pound  of  hay  per  day  to  each  cow. 

Cows  OF  Mixed  Native  and  Foreign  Breed. 


Life  Weight. 

Yearly  Milk 

Produce. 

684  pounds. 

3,056^  quarts. 

632 

3,048^ 

564        " 

2,876!^ 

620 

2,830^ 

784        " 

2,8271^ 

•463 

2,452>< 

655        " 

2,422^ 

572 

2,136;^ 

640 

1,653^ 

pounds  ;   23,2 

34  quarts,  or  2,522  quarts  pe 

Cows   OF 

Pure  Native  Breed. 

Life  Weight. 

Yearly  Milk 

Produce. 

425  pounds. 

3,895       ' 

quarts. 

528        " 

2,797)^ 

589        " 

2,730 

651        " 

2,388%' 

371        " 

2,643^ 

486 

2,58334 

447 

2,523^ 

447 

2,430 

435       " 

2,295 

601 

2,272^ 

564 

2,250 

589       " 

2,133^ 

271        " 

1,996 

463        " 

1,991^ 

392        " 

1,982^ 

636       " 

1,968^ 

415 

1,687;^ 

500 

1,425 

8,810  pounds  ;  41,264  quarts,  or  2,292  quarts  per  cow. 
Total,  14,524  pounds.      Total,  64,558  quarts. 


128 


By  the  above  comparative  trial  it  is  ascertained  : 

That  the  twenty-seven  cows  have  produced  444  quarts  of 
milk  for  every  100  pounds  life  weight. 

That  nine  cows  of  mixed  foreign  and  native  breed  have 
only  given  407  quarts  per  each  100  pounds  life  weight. 

That  eighteen  cows  of  pure  native  breed  gave  468  quarts 
for  every  100  pounds  life  weight,  being  considerable  more 
in  proportion  to  their  weight  and  size  than  heavier  foreign 
mixed  cows. 

By  a  similar  trial  with  fifteen  cows  of  pure  Ayrshire  breed, 
allowing  each  one  daily  fodder  and  feed  to  the  value  of 
twenty-nine  pounds  of  hay,  the  average  result  for  one  year 
was  1,954  quarts  per  cow. 

Applying  the  above  observation  to  Costa  Rica,  where 
the  native  cattle  generally  is  of  middle; size,  I  should  think 
it  preferable  to  make  good  selections  among  the  native 
stock  rather  than  to  introduce  foreign  large-bodied  cattle  at 
expensive  cost :  and  which  require  a  higher  and  richer 
feeding  than  the  farmer  can  procure  on  the  regular 
pastures. 

I  have  treated  the  dairy  question  rather  lengthily,  because 
the  production  of  butter  and  cheese  ought  to  be  prominent 
in  Costa  Rica,  where  the  cattle  need  not  be  stabled,  where 
no  provision  for  hay  is  made,  and  where  butter  can  not  be 
had  under  one  dollar  per  pound  and  the  coarsest  of  cheese 
not  under  forty  cents  per  pound.  A  2,000  quarts'  milker 
will  yearly  produce  about  eighty-five  pounds  of  butter  and 
three  hundred  pounds  of  cheese. 

The  complaint,  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  rear  calves  in 
this  country  so  they  will  turn  out  good  milkers,  and  that 
for  this  reason  the  fanners  have  been  obliged  to  import 
English,  Holstein  and  Swiss  cattle  to  create  a  superior  dairy 
stock,  I  shall  meet  with  observations  fully  well-known  in  old 
dairy  countries. 

The  Durham  breed  and  its  mixtures  are  expressly  formed 
for  producing  meat  and  fat  for  the  butcher  shop,  and  for 
this  particular  purpose  the  calves  are  richly  fed.  The  cows 
will  hardly  give  a  rich  flow  of  milk  for  more  than  five 
months  after  calving.  The  introduction  of  Durham  blood 
in  a  dairy  stock  will,  therefore,  not  better,  but  ruin  the 
milking  qualities  in  the  original  stock.  Several  farmers  in 
Costa  Rica  have  in  this  way  unintentionally  retarded  their 
expected  progress. 

In  forming  your  young  dairy  stock  you  must  not  allow 
the  calves  to  enter  into  a  state  of  fattening,  because  this 

129 


propensity  will  prevent  the  milk-organs  from  development. 
A  richly  reared  calf  is  already  full-grown  at  sixteen  months 
^  of  age  when  the  calf  is  allowed  to  follow  and  suck  the 
mother,  and  it  will  certainly  turn  out  a  butcher  calf,  even 
if  the  mother  is  a  good  milker.  On  the  contrary,  if  the 
calf  is  fed  moderately  with  mixture  in  the  milk  of  coarser 
feed,  its  growth  will  be  considerably  slower,  and  it  ought 
not  to  drop  its  first  calf  before  two  and  one-half  years  old. 
As  its  structure  is  not  inclined  to  form  much  meat,  the  milk- 
organs  will  develop  more  strongly  when,  after  calving,  the 
young  mother  is  placed  in  a  good  pasture. 

The  above  ought  to  be  an  answer  to  your  questions  about 
dairy  business  and  rearing  of  young  stock  for  a  dairy 
farm. 

Next  comes  the  b'eef-cattle  question:  The  consumption  of 
fresh  beef  (hardly  any  beef  is  barrel-salted)  is  as  general 
among  all  classes  in  Costa  Rica  as  potatoes  in  Ireland. 
Fresh  beef  constitutes  the  daily  dish  all  the  year  round,  and 
only  a  comparatively  small  quantity  is  cut  in  long  strips 
and  air-dried  for  conservation  like  the  Indian  pemmekin  in 
North  America.  In  order  to  maintain  a  paying  dairy-farm, 
it  is  necessary  to  rear  the  dairy  stock  on  the  farm,  as  grown 
and  good  cows  seldom  are  for  sale,  but  young  beef  cattle — 
steers — from  two  to  three  years  old  can  always  be  had  at 
the  rate  of  from  thirty  to  forty -five  dollars,  according  to 
the  size,  from  South  America,  Golfo  Dulce,  Guanacaste, 
Nicaragua,  etc.  It  is,  therefore,  more  than  a  local  question, 
if  it  does  not  pay  better  to  buy  lean  young  cattle  from 
steer-raisng  districts,  and  fatten  them  until  ready  for  sale 
after  five  or  six  months'  cattle-run  on  the  rich  and  ever 
^reen  pastures  of  Costa  Rica. 

Calculating  that  loo  quarts  or  200  pounds  of  fresh  milk 
give  about  fifteen  pounds  of  cheese  at  fifty  cents^$7.50, 
and  three  pounds  of  butter  at  $1. 00^^3.00,  in  all — $10.50; 
and  that  a  calf  during  its  sucking  time  (6  months)  consumes  at 
least  600  quarts,  then  the  coming  steer  (one  year  old)  costs 
6  X  $10.50  or  $63.00,  besides  the  daily  expense  of  attend- 
ance and  risk  of  infantile  sicknesses. 

Consequently  a  farm  with  extensive  pastures  had  better 
he  stocked  with  purchased  steers,  two  or  three  years  old  at, 
perhaps,  $44.00,  than  with  home-reared  beef  cattle  at 
:$63.oo. 

A  regular  lean  two  to  three  year  steer,  of  native  breed, 
will  average  550  pounds  life-weight.  After  five  or  six 
months'  good  pasturage  it  becomes  650  life-weight.      The 

130 


same  steer  killed  in  lean  condition  will  give  from  300  to  350 
pounds  meat,  while  fattened  it  yields  from  400  to  450 
pounds  of  meat.  On  the  market  this  life  steer  will  average 
$70.00.  Fifteen  hands  lean  steers,  imported  from  South 
America  at  $60.00,  may,  in  fat  condition,  reach  700  pounds 
of  meat  and  sell  at  from  $90.00  to  $1 10.00. 

In  districts  blessed  with  evergreen  pastures,  as  Rio  Frio, 
San  Carlos,  Sarapiqui,  Lower  Reventazon,  San  Juan, 
Hatina,  Santa  Clara,  Sixola,  and  intermediate  smaller  val- 
leys where  Guinea-grass  is  cultivated,  the  fattening  process 
is  completed  in  from  five  to  six  months.  In  other  parts  of 
the  interior  it  takes,  according  to  location  and  grasses,  from 
one  to  several  months  more.  Guinea-grass  grows  with  ad- 
vantage only  in  the  hot  zone. 

All  money  calculations  in  this  communication  are  made 
under  the  present  system — one  dollar  American  gold  equal 
to  $2.50  Costa  Rica  currency. 

From  the  foregoing  you  will  find  that  parties  with  suffi- 
cient capital  may  do  well  by  opening  cattle-farms,  and 
present  owners  of  stock  "haciendas"  coin  money,  when 
they  thoroughly  understand  all  the  branches  of  the  busi- 
ness; but  it  takes  a  man  in  the  vigor  of  youth  to  succeed. 
For  my  part  I  am  now  too  old  to  enjoy  daily  horseback 
races  over  extensive  cattle  runs,  and  to  manage  unruly 
steers  and  neglectful  stock-hands.  I  prefer  to  handle  a 
plantation  whose  trees  live,  grow  and  rest  in  the  place 
in  which  they  are  put. 

The  accounts  for  one  year  of  a  non-paying  farm,  ex- 
clusively managed  as  a  combined  dairy  and  beef  farm,  is, 
hereby  given  to  enable  you  to  judge  where  economical  cur- 
tailing has  to  come  in  to  make  cattle-farms  pay.  At  the 
time  of  my  visit  this  year  I  found  the  farm  to  contain  : 

Four  hundred  manzanas  a  pasture  at  $70 J^28,ooo 

100  Manzanas  timberland  at  ^20 2,000 

Houses  and  dwellings  for  farm  hands  and  stables 4,000 

40  cows  at  |ioo 4,000 

40  calves  up  to  one  year  of  age  at  f  10 400 

40  steers  up  to  two  years  of  age  at  I30 1,200 

40  steers  over  two  years  fat  and  nearly  ready  for  market  at  #70     2,800 

60  steers  bought  lean  for  fattening  at  $50  (high  price)  .    .    .  3,000 

5  saddle  and  pack  horses  at  I50 250 

4  large  hogs,  1,200  pound  weight 480 

20  small   pigs 40 

4  goats  and  sheep  at  $10 80 

Furniture,  implements,  saddles,  ox-carts,  etc 450 

Total  capital  represented $46,700 

131 


Income. 

Milk  of  20  cows  at  2,000  qts.,  one  real  per  quart — ^40,000  qts  .  |5,ooo 

Milk  of  20  cows  at  360  qts.,  one  real  per  quart — 7,200  qts  .    .  900 

Sale  of  40  steers  over  two  years  old,  farm-reared,  at  $80  .    .  3,240 

Sale  of  60  steers,  bought  and  fattened,  at  $80 4,800 

15  fanegas,  9,000  pounds  corn,  at  |2o  per  fanega 300 

20  cajuelas  frijoles — beans — 500  pounds,  at  ^4  per  cajuela  .  80 

4  hogs  at  300  pounds  each — 1,200  pounds — at  40c.  a  pound  .  480 

8  goats  and  sheep  at  ^10 80 

Income  of  poultry  yard  and  platanos 60 

Total  income $14,900 

Expenses. 
Milk  to  calves,  27, 200  quarts — a  real  indoor  expensive  young 

stock  ...  ....." #3,400 

60  steers,  bought  for  fattening,  at  $44 2,640 

15  laborers  at  I30  per  month — $450  x  12  months 5,400 

Beef,  poultry,  corn,  frijoles,  milk  and  platanos  included  in 

expenses  for  household,  repairs,  implements,  fencing  .         300 

Total  expense |i3,54o 

Income |i4,900 

Expenses 13,540 

Leaving  net  profit" $1,360 

But  $1,360  is  hardly  three  per  cent,  interest  upon  the  in- 
vested capital  $46, 700,  and  not  at  all  satisfactory  in  a  coun- 
try where  you  receive  ten  per  cent,  yearly  interest  backed 
with  first-class  security  with  no  effort. 

If  fronijthe  capital  you  subtract  the  real  estate  value, 
$30,000,  leaving  the  rest  $16,700,  as  the  only  capital  due 
to  produce  interest,  then  you  reach  about  eight  per  cent. 

In  my  opinion,  there  were  one  or  more  leaks  in  the  man- 
agement of  this  farm  which  worked  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the  yearly  result.  Without  going  into  a  minute  criticism 
you  will,  for  instance,  find  fifteen  farm-hands  too  many. 
Farm-hands,  of  course,  are  necessary,  but  they  have  to  be 
under  strict  control  and  limited  to  the  least  possible  num- 
ber, or  they  will  eat  up  all  the  proceeds,  and  prove  a  can- 
cer to  the  most  promising  farm. 

To  manage  this  farm  I  would  say  it  needs  one  laboring 
foreman  (the  superintendency  conducted  by  the  owner  in 
person)  and  three  cattlemen,  who,  in  the  morning,  bring  in 
and  milk  the  cows  and  feed  the  calves.  Also  one  cheese 
and  butter-maker,  who,  by  using  the  Centriful  Cream  Sep- 
arator, will,  by  II  o'clock  a.m.,  have  easily  disposed  of 
all  the  dairy  work.  The  rest  of  the  day  these  men,  excepting 
the  foreman  and  the  butter-man,  may  cart  out  the  manure 

132 


and  clean  the  stables.  If  the  cows  have  been  stabled  and 
fed  during  the  night  they  may  bring  in  fresh  cut  grass  for 
the  next  night,  clean  and  cure  the  calves,  and,  after  dinner, 
by  4  o'clock  p.m.,  bring  in  the  cows  and  out-going  calves 
to  suck  their  mothers.  Also  four  day  laborers,  who,  with 
the  foreman,  are  steadily  employed  in  cleaning  brush  and 
dead  grasses  out  of  the  pastures,  and  one  cook,  who  also 
attends  to  the  poultry  yard  and  keeps  the  superintendent's 
rooms  in  order.  This  makes  in  all  ten  hired  men  instead  of 
fifteen.  In  San  Carlos  I  have  seen  sixaiJar.,. stock  farms 
managed  with  six  men  and  their  foreman.  The  expense  of 
salary  and  maintenance  for  fiifteen  men  is  above  quoted  at 
$7,200.  Deducting  one-third,  dr  $2,400,  this  saving  added 
to  the  foregoing  net  profit  ($1,360)  brings  the  net  income 
up  to  $3,760,  or  fully  eight  per  cent,  interest  upon  the  total 
capital,  $46,700. 

The  daily  consumption  of  beef,  pork,  lard,  tallow  and 
other  articles  manufactured  from  cattle,  and  hogs,  reaches  in 
Costa  Rica  100,000  pounds,  or  36}^  million  pounds  per 
year.  The  consumption  of  milk,  cheese  and  butter,  can,  at 
present,  not  be  ascertained,  but  it  is  certain  that  this  coun- 
try, though  eminently  fitted  for  beef,  dairy  produce  and 
pork-raising,  for  lack  of  cattle-farming,  has  yearly  to  im- 
port from  the  United  States  of  America  and  Europe  the  fol- 
lowing articles  : — 

Salted  and  canned  beef  and  pork 149,850 

Tallow  (Stearin) 76,408 

Butter 77,204 

Cheese       67,748 

Condensed  milk  in  cans 52,126 

Cattle  (life) 1,930,832 

Smoked  hams  and  sausage 26,116 

Tallow  for  candles -. -.        .    .  237,718^ 

Lard 1,822,800 

Lard  oil 10,984 

.Lard  for  soup 204,636 

Fat  for  greese 27.864 

Ordinary  soap 395, 900 

Meat  and  pork  provisions 60,122 

Leather,  cord  and  sole 7,082 

Poultry 800 

To  this  importation  has  to  be  added  smuggled  goods,  not 
accounted  for,  but  amounting  to  a  considerable  sum,  be- 
cause this  illegal  trading  is  the  natural  consequence  of  ex- 
aggerated traffics,  and  serves  as  a  popular  regulator  in  all 
countries  burdened  with  immoderate  duty  on  the  first 
necessaries  of  life. 

133 


All  products  of  cattle-farming  have  consequently  a  sure 
home  market,  and  you  may  feel  convinced  that  capital,  in 
the  hands  of  experienced  owners  and  managers,  can  be  in- 
vested with  a  sure  prospect  of  success  in  stock  and  dairy 
larming  in  Costa  Rica. 

Respectfully, 

John  Schroeder. 


Costa  IRica'8  Greatest  Mant- 
.  l£mi0tation. 

'^he  overwhelming  natural  resources  of  Costa  Rica  have 
led ,  me  into  a  healthy  enthusiasm  in  writing  this  pamphlet. 
My 'Statements  are,  however,  in  no  wise  exaggerated.  It  is 
an  unbiased  record  of  what  I  have  learned  from  personal  ex- 
perience. It  is  not  a  land-booming  scheme,  but  my  impression 
of  the  Costa  Rica  of  to-day  and  its  future. 

Those  who  have  carefully  studied  this  tabulation  of  facts, 
must  have  become  convinced  of  the  great  need  of  Costa  Rica, 
namely — -an  increased  population — and  the  fact  is  as  important 
to  America  as  to  Costa  Rica.  The  element  necessary  to  make 
this  a  thrifty  garden  spot  is  American  emigration.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  which  I  addressed  to  the 
Government  of  Costa  Rica,  from  California,  in  1889.  This 
expresses  my  sentiment  to-day. 

"  If  it  may  be  said  that  Central  America,  situated  as  it  is, 
probably  forms  the  most  important  section  of  the  world,  since 
it  is  washed  on  either  side  by  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,, 
and  is  connected  on  the  north  with  Mexico,  while  to  the 
south  lie  all  the  remaining  Republics  of  Spanish  America,  and 
that  if  presents  a  thousand  facilities  for  direct  and  rapid  com- 
munication with  the  principal  commercial  centres  of  the  globe,, 
how  can  we  over-estimate  the  brilliant  possibilities  of  our  small 
but  beautiful  country,  which  surpasses  in  so  many  points  its- 
neighboring  Republics  ? 

134 


Costa  Rica,  with  most  fertile  lands,  with  a  great  variety  of 
climate  and  products,  with  numerous  rivers  that  are  either 
navigable,  or  can  be  rendered  so,  with  excellent  harbors,  with 
extensive  forests,  rich  in  timber,  and  cabinet  and  dye  woods, 
with  a  growing  industrious  and  honest  population,  and  above 
all  with  the  prospect  of  having  on  the  north  and  south,  canals 
which  will  unite  the  two  great  oceans,  giving  to  the  country 
the  greatest  facility  for  transportation,  which  will  eventually 
make  it  the  center  of  traffic  of  both  Americas  ;  the  great  ware- 
house where  the  immense  fleet  of  vessels,  sailing  between  the 
two  oceans  will,  of  necessity,  replenish  their  stores. 

This  country,  so  endowed  by  nature,  is  destined  to  become, 
not  only  an  agricultural  and  industrial  center,  but  also  a  place 
whither,  on  account  of  its  mild  climate,  and  its  intermediate 
position  between  the  great  cities  of  North  and  South  America, 
thousands  of  people  will  resort  who  find  themselves  obliged  to 
seek  refuge  from  the  suffocating  heat  of  summer,  and  the  severe 
cold  of  winter. 

Since  this  Republic  combines  so  many  advantages  which  are 
being  but  slowly  utilized,  since  an  imperious  necessity  demands 
it,  and  since  the  capital  of  the  country  permits  it,  and  we  are 
still  indefinitely  postponing  the  progress  which  we  ought  now  to 
be  making,  why  should  we  not  take  measures  at  once  for 
reaching  this  desirable  end,  since  it  is  now  so  easily  obtainable  ? 

Let  us  give  an  impulse  to  immigration,  which  is  the  most 
potent  instrument  of  progress  ;  let  us  gather  in  those  who  are 
honest  and  industrious,  that  they  may  unite  to  form  one  peo- 
ple with  our  own.  Moreover,  the  following  words  of  Sar- 
miento  are  not  to  be  forgotten,  for  they  are  indisputable 
truths  :  "  The  greatest  enemy  of  the  Spanish- American  Re- 
publics is  the  wilderness — the  insufficiency  of  population  ;" 
hkewise  these  others  of  Felix  Frias  :  "Every  European  man 
Avho  enters  Chili  is  an  element  of  order,  for  he  is  a  hand  at 
the  plough  and  in  the  workshop — a  man  decently  dressed, 
along  side  of  one  in   tatters,  a  worker  beside  an    idler — this  is 

135 


the  great  agent  of  civilization.  These  are  of  more  avail  foi" 
our  material  interests  than  any  institution  whatever,  and  with- 
out them,  institutions  are  but  a  house  built  on  the  sand." 

Let  us  follow  the  example  of  other  countries  that  have  risen 
within  so  short  a  time  and  now  attract  the  attention  of  the 
world,  without  having  the  material  resources  which  we  possess^ 
While  we  look  with  admiration  upon  what  has  been  done  in 
other  places,  let  us  say  to  ourselves  :  "  We  ought  to  do  as- 
much."  Firm  in  our  purpose,  let  us  show  no  vacillation  in 
carrying  out  an  enterprise  that  will  confer  greatness  upon 
Costa  Rica,  and  immortality  upon  the  Government  by  which 
it  is  supported. 

Let  us  look  for  a  moment  at  the  progress  of  California  ;  the 
development  of  the  Argentine  Republic ;  the  wonderful 
changes  that  have  taken  place  in  Lower  California  ;  and  the 
astonishing  growth  of  the  settlements  of  Oklahoma,  Guthrie 
and  Purcell  in  the  Indian  Territory,  in  the  United  States  ;  all 
of  which  is  due  solely  to  the  stream  of  immigration  which 
they  have  been  able  to  attract. 

California,  which  in  1847  and  '48  was  almost  a  wilderness^ 
without  towns,  agriculture,  manufactures  or  commerce,  has 
to-day  a  population  of  nearly  two  million,  numerous  cities  of 
Jmportance,  manufactures  without  number,  and  a  vast  extent 
of  cultivated  land — all  of  which,  when  reduced  to  figures,  give 
results  that  cause  astonishment. 

The  Argentine  Republic  affords  clear  proof  that  its  rapid 
progress  is  due  to  immigration.  In  1865  there  were  only 
three  settlements  in  Santa  Fe,  and  now  there  are  a  hundred 
and  ninety.  At  that  time  there  were  only  29,585  acres  in 
cultivation,  and  now  there  are  1,482,053.  On  November  3d 
of  the  year  just  past,  Mr.  E.  Sundblad,  Commissioner  of  Immi- 
gration in  Buenos  Ayres,  reported  that  20,147  persons  had 
arrived  during  the  preceding  October,  which  added  to  the 
arrivals  from  January  to  September  made  a  total  of  125402. 
The  progress  which  is  observable  in  this  republic,  and  whick 

136 


is  known  to  the  whole  world,  has  had  its  beginning  within  a 
A/'cry  few  years,  so  much  so  that  in  1883  the  Argentine  consul 
at  Havre  reported  that  794  persons  had  sailed  that  year  ;  the 
next  year  the  figures  rose  to  1,704. 

On  the  other  hand  Mr.  S.  Lamas,  Inspector  of  Immigrants 
in  Buenos  Ayres,  under  date  of  November  19,  1888,  reported 
to  the  Minister  that  5 ,020  French  had  already  arrived  in  that 
month,  from  which  he  estimated  that  100,000  would  have 
arrived  by  the  end  of  the  year.  The  consuls  to  the  other 
European  nations  furnish  statements  equally  as  flattering,  from 
which  the  stream  of  immigration  for  the  past  year  may  be 
safely  estimated  at  200,000  persons,  who  being  judiciously 
distributed  and  eager  to  secure  an  independent  position,  per- 
haps unattainable  in  their  own  native  country,  will  have  made 
great  progress  during  the  year  in  their  new  home. 

Even  in  not  very  desirable  localities  progress  is  seen  to  be 
in  proportion  to  immigration.  As  an  example  of  this  we  may 
point  to  the  sandy  districts  of  Lower  California,  where  in  1886 
there  were  only  500  inhabitants,  living  in  wretchedness  ;  but 
since  that  date,  when  the  Mexican  Government  granted  an 
American  company  a  tract  of  18,000,000  acres,  all  has  been 
changed,  and  there  are  not  only  several  towns  of  considerable 
importance,  connected  by  140  miles  of  railroad,  but  there  are 
also  telegraphs,  telephones,  electric  lights,  good  hotels,  exten- 
sive schools  and  magnificent  acqueducts  for  irrigating  lands 
that  previously  could  not  be  made  to  produce  anything  for 
want  of  water. 

Perhaps  there  is  not  recorded  in  the  history  of  the  world  an 
event  so  remarkable  as  the  one  related  by  the  North-American 
Press,  in  describing  what  passed  at  Oklahoma  at  10  A.  m.  on 
the  2 2d  of  April  last,  when  i  5,000  persons  in  3,090  wagons 
and  on  several  hundred  horses,  were  waiting  for  Captain 
Woodson  to  give,  in  the  name  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, the  word  "  Forward,"  upon  which  they  should  proceed 
±0   travel   the    remaining  two   miles   to   the   place,  previously 


inhabited  only  by  Indians,  but  now  to  be  apportioned  among 
those  desiring  to  form  the  new  settlement.  By  the  night  of 
that  same  day,  April  2 2d,  the  lots  had  been  staked  off,  and 
the  streets  laid  out ;  and  the  tents  of  the  host,  pitched  in  their 
respective  places,  formed  a  city  that  will  serve  forever  as  an 
example  to  other  nations,  and  prove  that  the  fearless  and  go 
ahead  American  character  is  capable  of  accomplishing  appar- 
ent impossibilities.  Two  days  later,  there  not  being  room  for 
the  people  who  continued  coming,  it  became  necessary  to 
locate  in  other  places,  the  towns  called  Guthrie,  Purcell  and 
Harrison,  which  at  once  received  6,000,  4,000  and  3,000 
inhabitants  respectively.  The  next  day  Guthrie  had  two 
banks  doing  good  business;  and  at  the  post  office  at  9.15 
A.  M.,  233  persons  stood  in  line  waiting  their  turn,  500  having 
already  been  waited  on.  If  all  this  was  done  in  places  where 
the  natural  resources  are  less  abundant  and  varied  than  in 
Costa  Rica,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  our  becoming  in  a 
very  short  time  a  happy,  prosperous  nation,  if  we  can  turn 
towards  our  fertile  waste  places  that  stream  of  immigration 
now  flowing  into  less  desirable  localities. 

The  people  of  Costa  Rica  love  the  institution  of  the  United 
States  ;  they  heartily  admire  its  worthy  sons.  It  is  because  of 
this,  and  other  fraternal  sentiments,  and  because  they  appre- 
ciate the  importance  of  their  peculiar  ingenuity,  inventive 
ability,  and  original  mechanical  resources,  that  Costa  Rica 
offers  to  share  with  them  its  natural  wealth,  its  hospitality,  and 
its  friendly  congratulations. 

Enough  has  been  said  throughout  this  pamphlet  to  show 
that  \vealth  cannot  be  plucked  from  the  flowering  plants  with- 
out effort,  nor  can  gold  be  washed  from  the  surface  dust 
without  hard  work.  Emigrants  should  not  go  to  Costa  Rica, 
or  any  other  new  country,  without  enough  money  to  assure 
an  independence  for  the  greater  part  of  the  first  year.  A  man 
who  has  this,  and  a  Yankee  love  of  work  and  industry,  is 
certain  to  succeed  in  Costa  Rica. 

138 


Mberc  to  Settle. 

Where  to  settle  is  probably  the  most  difficult  problem.  A 
mistake  in  this  will  make  the  difference  of  success  or  failure 
to  the  emigrant.  So  much  depends  upon  the  special  trades 
or  industries  to  which  persons  are  adapted,  or  which  they 
may  select  as  their  future  occupation,  that  this  cannot  be  defi- 
nitely discussed  here.  This  applies  particularly  to  agriculture, 
since  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  the  high  and  the  low 
lands,  with  a  corresponding  difference  in  the  productions  of 
the  soil.  To  make  an  advantageous  selection  requires  special 
knowledge  of  the  country,  which  a  new  comer  would  not  be 
apt  to  acquire  until  many  unfortunate  mistakes  had  been 
made.  Upon  this,  and  all  other  questions,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
talk  personally  to  intending  settlers  at  the  Cotton  States  and 
International  Exposition.  All  letters  of  inquiry  from  intend- 
ing visitors  or  settlers  will  receive  prompt  attention. 


*  For  more  detailed  information  on  this  subject  apply  to,  or  address  flDr.  "IRicbacfi 
Dillatranca,  at  ttie  Cotton  States  and  International  Exposition  until  December  31,  iSg.s ; 
and  thereafter  at  Typographic  Department,  Skckett  &  Wilhelms  Lithographing  Co., 
jiio  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York. 


Wy      nk      ith 

^^KfZ.  »J^—  »l»— 

^    7lf^    ^ 


13P 


^ 


H5\>erti8ement8. 


^ 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


Cable  B^^re^^ : 
Ikeitb 


/llbinor  C.  IReitb. 

rcBB:    ^^^  j^g^  ^  p^j,j  «2^ityjon,  Costa  IRtca, 


. . .  2lgent  for . . . 
Costa  IRica  anb  1bon&uras  Steamboat  Xine, 

Sailing  from  IRcw  ©cleans  an^  B>ort  jliinon  eweng  ^KI^c6nc8^al^. 


Compania 
•#      ITransatlantica      -# 
^Barcelona, 

^oucbing  at  Ibabaua,  Santa  /IDarta, 

Santiago  &e  Cuba,  Savanilla,  Cartagena, 

Xa  aua^ra,  Colon,  an& 

Puerto  Cabello,  port  Ximon» 

Steamers  sail  from  Iport  Ximon  22^  of  cverg  montb. 


^^\C^S\W\C>Y    *^  ^^SkCSXaSX   **  Sails  on  tbc  14tb  an^  22^  of 

<-*'  IrWCi  1 1  Iw  t  /^(l.WCl9Clf  everiB  montb  from  port  Ximon  for 

:fi3luefiel50,  IRama,  IRio  (BranDc,  Cape  ©racias, 
IRio  lUawa,  Monra,  an(5  Corn  IFsIanJS.  .  .  •  • 

Connecting  at  San  5uan  bcl  IRorte  (©reietown) 
witb  Steamers  for 

....  IRio  San  5uan  anO  Xaftc  IRicaraGua. 


Xan&  Dealer  ant)  lpro&ucer  an&  Exporter 
of  Bananas.  ■**> 


141 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


ALFARO    &   CO., 
General  Nlerchianclise, 

^^^=  WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL.  =^ 
*       Fancy  Goods,  Croclcery,  Hard^ware. 
specialty:    LADIES'    DRESS  GOODS. 

SAN  JOSE:,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

ANDRE  mHLE  &  CO. 


Commission 


Merchants, 


SAN  JOSE,  -  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 


ESQUIVEL   &  CANAS, 

Wholesale   Grocers, 

Win.es    and    Liqiaors, 

SMN     JOSE.  COSTM      RICK.     O.     7^, 

142 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


DURINI     HKRIVLANOS, 

IMPORTERS  OF 

Marbles,  Statuary  ^^  Fine  Ornamental  Work 

THE  BEST  ITALIAN  ARTISTS  ARE  FOUND  AT  OUR  SHOPS  AND  ARE 

ALWAYS  READY  TO  MAKE  CONTRACTS   FOR   ALL 

KINDS  OF  STONE   OR    MARBLE  WORK. 

SAN  JOSE,  ::  COSTA    R.IOA,  C.  A. 

ROBERT    HKRA/IANOS, 

Importer  and  IVholesale  and  Retail  Dealer  in 

Rea_(iy=IVI  ade  Clottie^, 

GENTS',  BOYS'  AND  CHILDREN'S  SUITS 

F^Tamish-eci  in.  B-very  Stvle. 

SA-IsT    JOSE,  OOSXA    RIOA,    C.  A 


We  keep  a  complete  assortment  of  everything 
belongina:  to  this  branch  of  business. 


O  UR  SPECIAL  TIES  ARE  . ^ 

Articles  of  Domestic  Use, 

Articles  For  Water  Works  and   Plumbing, 

Pasteur  Filters, 

Electric  Bells  and  Apparatus. 

Telephone  No.  64.     .-.     Cable  Address:  Macaya. 

CODE     ABC.  , 

SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,   C.  A. 

143 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


LAND  GRANT. 

400,000  Acres  of  Land  for  Sale. 


RIVER  PLATE  TRUST   LOAN  AND 
AGENCY  COMPANY,  Limited, 

LONDON. 

Companies'    Agents    in    San   Jose  :      MESSRS.  LYON    &    COX. 

AGENT  IN  LONDON: 
FRANK  B.  PARSEMORE,   11   Queen  Victoria  Street. 


Choice  Agricultural  Lands  in  Costa  Rica.  Suitable  for  Coffee,  Cacao  and  all  Central 
American  produce. 

Inside  the  following  tracts  of  titled  lands,  kts  of  50  acres  or  over,  to  suit  the  purchaser, 
are  offered  for  sale  on  easy  terms,  so  as  to  make  the  pruduce  of  the  new  farms  pay  the  pur- 
chase sum  and  the  costs  of  cultivation. 

TERMS— $5  per  acre.    20  per  cent,  down,  SO  per  cent,  yearly,  with  6 
per  cent,  interest  on  unpaid  balance. 

PEOVINCS  OF  GUAHACASTE. 
Cocoa  Tract,  containing  137,393  acres,  fronting  on  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  partly  inside 
the  Canton  Nicoya. 

PROVINCE  OF  ALAJUELA  AND  GUANACASTE. 
G-uanacaste  Tract,  containing  76,016  acres,  situated  partly  in  Canton  Caiias,  partly 
in  Alajuela. 

PROVINCE  OF  ALAJUELA. 
Tenoria  Tract,  containing  20,194  acres,  situated  mostly  East  of  Miravalle. 
San  Ramon  Tract, containing  48,754  acres,  situated  North-East  and  near  San  Ramon. 

PROVINCE  OF  CARTAGO. 

Tuis  and  Cabeza  de  Buey  Tract,  containing  13,838  acres,  situated  in  the  East 
})art  of  the  Province.     Declared  first-class  coffee  land. 

PROVINCE  OF  CARTAGO  AND  COM.  LIMON. 

Reventazon  Tract,  containing  36,32s  acres,  situated  in  both  provinces,  watered  by 
the  rivers  Reventazon,  Pacuare  and  their  tributaries,  and  fronting  on  the  railroad. 

COMARCA  LIMON. 

Turrialtoa  Tract,  containmg  37,680  acres,  situated  North  of  Volcano  Turrialba, 
within  easy  reach  of  railway. 

Moravia  Tract,  containing  13,455  acr^s,  situated  East  of  the  South-East  corner  of 
the  Province  of  Ca;  tago.     The  tract  verj'  suitable  for  coffee 

All  the  above  descrbed  tracts  of  land  have  a  considerable  elevation  over  the  oceans, 
and  consequently  a  healthy  climate. 

N.  B.— The  Company  hold  titles  from  the  Costa  Rican  Government 
for  the  above  mentioned  lands,  and  convey  to  purchasers  all  rig-hts 
and  privilegres  which  they  themselves  enjoy. 

144 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


Luis  Ellinger  &  tlermano, 


General  Importers  and 
Exporters  of 


SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 


PAUL  WEDEL, 

Importer  of  General  Merchandise, 

SPECIALTY  : 

FANCY  GOODS  AND  LADIES'  DRESS  GOODS, 

SAN  JOSE,  .-.   .  .-.  COSTA  RICA,   C/ A. 

Ifmpeiial  Ibotel  •••     ••• 

(5»  &e  BeneMctis, 

IProprictor. 

ffirstsdlass  38oar&  an&  /Iftost  CommoDious 
Bpartments.    Central  ILocation. 

San  3o0e,         :  :         Costa  1Rica.  C.  B- 

145 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


,      KABIAX    KSQXJIVKL, 

Producer  and  Exporter  of  Coffee, 

SAN  JOSE,    COSTA    RICA,  C.  A. 


IvIBRKRIyV     IVIODKRNA 

^OF 

Antonio   Kont, 
Central  St.  South,  No.  lo.  .'.  Post  Office  Box  419. 

SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  CENTRAL  AMERICA.    • 

1  he   only   Book  Store  in  the  city  that  receives  the  most   modern   publications  on  all 
branches  of  human  knowledge. 

Great  Assortment  of  Blank  Books.    Stationery  Articles. 

Subscriptions  taken  to  all  of  the  best  periodicals  of  the  world.      Bookbinding-    done  in 
every  style.     Catalogues  solicited. 

Rafael  Villafranca 


Sells  tracts  of  land  in  one  of  the  best 

localities  of  the  country.     The  lands 

are   level,    well   watered,    not    distant  ^ 

from  railroad  line.      Climate  good  and 

temperature    moderate 

Well  adapted  for  planting  coffee,  cacoa, 
ramie,  rice,  corn,  banana  and  all  other 
^  tropical  plants.  Good  roads  available. 
Easy  terms.  Tracts  of  any  size  to 
suit    purchaser 

Before  you  settle  see  these  lands,  they  will   charm   you.      Nothing  better  can  be 
found  in  the  tropics. 

For  further  particulars  see  .... 

Rafael  Villafranca  (the  owner),  in  Cartago ;  or  Dr.  Francisco 
Villafranca,  or  Dr.  Victor  Orozco,  in  San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  C.  A. 

146 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


Pantaleon  Cordova 

.    .    .  OWNER  OF  .    .    . 

Beautiful  Level  Lands, 

IN  REVENTAZON. 

#  Navigable    rivers    crossing    them  ;    splendid 

for    Coffee,     Cacao,     Sugar;    Cane,     Ramie, 
Rice,    Beans,     Corn    and    Bananas.       Near 
Railroad.      Good  roads,  abundance  of  rivers, 
■     good  climate.     .      .      .-.(.. 

PRICE  : 

$6.00   Gold   Per  Acre. 

SAN  JOSE,  C05TA  RICA,  C.  A. 

F.    CASTRO    R. 

DRY  *  GOODS, 

Fancy  Articles  and  Dress  Goods, 

SAN  JOSK,  COSTA^  RICA,  C.  A. 

...   .VIDAL    QUIROZ,   .  .  . 

Attorney  and  Notary  Public, 

SEVENTH  AVE.   WEST,   No.  41, 

SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

147 


AD  VER  r IS E ME  NTS. 


FELIPE  J.  ALVARADO  &  CO, 

Attend  to  the  loading  and  unloading  of 
vessels.  Receive  all  goods  consigned  to  them 
and  send  them  to  destination,  making  the  ne- 
cessary papers  and  applications  to  the  Custom 
Houses.  Vessels  consigned  to  them  are  free 
of  all  delays,  and  fines  might  be  avoided. 

OKKICKS     IN 

LIMON, 

PUNTAEENAS, 

SAN  JOSE. 


148 


AD  VER  tisement:s. 


La  Villa  de  Paris,  .  .  . 


Robles  &  Romero, 

Successors  to  TEODOSIO  CASTRO  &  CO. 

inPORTERS  AND  EXPORTERS, 

San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  C.  A. 


J.  R.  R.  TROYO  (fc  CO., 
WHOLESALE  DEALERS 


AND 


COFFEE  FXPORTERS, 

SAN  JOSfi,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 


ALBERTO  ESQUIVEL.  RICARDO   ESQUIVEL 

ESQUIVEL      HeRMANOS, 

\VHOLESALE    DEALERS, 

Importers  and  Exporters, 

p.  O.  BOX  436. 

Cable  Address,  VELESQUI.  San  Jose,  Costa  Rica,  C.  A. 

149 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


P.  &  F.  VALIENTE, 

IMPORTERS  OF 

All   Kinds   of  Cigars,  Cigarettes 


MANUFACTURED  TOBACCO. 
SAN  JOSE,  -  -  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

JAIME  J.  ROSS  &  CO. 

Importers  and  Exporters, 

SPECIALTY  : 

FLOUR.     LARD, 

AND  GROCERIES  GENERALLY, 

San  Jose,         -         Costa  Rica,  C.  A. 


LAS      NOVEDADES, 

manuel  veiga, 
Fashionable  Hat  Store, 

•V    '•■•    IMPORTER   OF   HATS,    -v    •• 

SAN  JOSE,      -       COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

150 


AD  I  'ER  TISEMENTS. 


PAGES   HERMANOS, 

Wholesale  and  Retail  Grocers, 

IMPORTERS  OF 

GROCERIES,   WINES,   DRY   FRUITS, 

TOB.^CCOS,    ETC.,    ETC. 

San  Josk,  Costa  Rica,  C.  A.. 
INOCKNTK    MORKNO, 

Counsellor-at-Law  ^^^  Notary  Public. 

SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

ESTA^BLISHED    IlSr    1868. 


BOTICA   FRANCESA, 

CENTRAL     PARK, 

SAN  JOSE,  .-.  .-.  COSTARICA. 

p.  O.  BOX  375.  Caui.k  .\ddress:  HERLEDON,  COSTARICA. 

Proprietors,   HERMANN  &  ZELEDON. 

Pharmaceutics  and  Druggists,  Importers  and  Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealers  iu  First-Class 
Drugs.     Stock  always  new.  Dealers  in  Druggists'  Articles,  Glassware,  Perfumery 
and  Surgical  Instruments,  and  manufacturers  of  Preparations  and  Phar- 
maceutical Specialties,  Xative  Perfumes,    Syrups  and  Soda  Water. 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


niario   urpi, 
DkaIvKr  in  Grockrik^, 

IMPORTER  OF 

WINES,  LIQUORS,  NUTS,  TOBACCOS,  DRY  FRUITS,  ETC. 

SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 
Printing  Establishment  and  Spanish  Book  Store 

.     .     .      OF      .     .     . 

VICKKTK     IvINES, 

Established  in  1884. 

Large  Variety  of  All  Kinds  of  Books 


Text  Books  on  Philosophy,  Laiv,  Medicme,  Arts  and  Trades. 

Typographical   Department  takes   charge   of   All    Kinds    of  Work,    Fancj 
Ordinary    PubUcations. 

SAN    JOSE;,  COSTTA    RICA.,   C.  A. 

©^LA    COLORADO ^® 


HERMANOS  ECHANDI 

DEALERS  IN 

Silk,  Woolen  and  Cotton  Goods. 

Embroideries  and  Laces  of  the  Finest   Qualities  are  Impoiccd 
and  made  a  Specialty. 

LADIES'  AND  CHILDREN'S  SHOES 
ARE  ALWAYS  FOUND  IN  EVERY  STYLE. 

Fire  Arms  are  regularly  imported  and  the  best  makes  always  chosen. 
We  buy  and  sell  Cartridges  and  import  all  kinds  of  goods. 

SyVN  JOSK,  .-.         COSTA  RICA    C.  A. 

p.  O.  BOX  461.  Cable  Address,  ECHANDI. 

152 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


m:ontero  &  CO. 

Wholesale  and  Retail  Dealers  in 

Books,  Paper,  Statioaery,  Drawing  Articles, 

SHEET  MUSIC  AND  MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS  ALWAYS  KEPT  ON  HAND. 

CENTRAL     STRKET, 

SMN    JOSO.  .  .  COSTM     RICK. 

Herrero  Hermanos 

ELEGANT  STORE  WHERE 

Fancy  Goods,  Cliina  Silks,  Japan  Products, 

AND  ALL  THE  LATEST  NOVELTIES  OF  THE  FASHIONABLE 
PARIS  CAN  BE  FOUND. 


LADIES'  GOODS  A  SPECIALTY. 


SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 


ROBERTO  RIOTTE  I  TITO  VARGAS 


SEIvL. 


Fine  Lands  on  the  Margin  of  Reventazon  River, 

Good  Climate  and  Near  1{ailroad. 

SKN    JOSE,  OOSTK    RIC75,    O.    K. 

153 


AB  VER  TISEMENTS. 


JESUS  M.  GOMEZ  S. 
Merchant  and   Philatelist, 

Solicits  Catalogues  and  is  ready  to  consider  busi- 
ness proposals.  English  circulars  will  be  accepted 
and  List  of  Prices  carefully  attended  to 

SAN  JOSfi,         .-,  .-.         COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

URIBE    &    BATALLA, 

Importing  #  Exporting  Merchants, 

SAN   JOSfi,   COSTA    RICA,   C,  A. 


VICTOR    OROZCO, 

Attorney-at-Law, 

Notary  Public, 


Takes  charge  of  Deeds,  Contracts,  Concessions, 
having  special  facilities  to  point  out  the  best 
people  with  whom  land  purchases  can  be  made. 


SAN  JOSE,  .-.         .-.  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 

154 


AD  VER  TISEMENTS. 


JUAN  KNOHR.... 


....  GENERAL  IMPORTERS. 


SAN  JOSE,  COSTA  RICA,  C.  A. 


155 


